Xavier Ferrer Chust
Babalú Ayé, 2011
Babalú Ayé, 2011
Babalú Ayé, in the Yoruba religion is one of their gods and in Cuban Santeria he is represented by Saint Lazarus. I observed that on December 17th the day of worship was celebrated in a city near the Habano called El Rincón. The infinity of street stalls with images of the Saint, made their August selling everything related to Saint Lazarus. There were sculptures larger than a person. Little by little more people came and each time the penance was stronger, suddenly a boy was crawling down the road with a cigar in his mouth, full of images of the saint and a box with money to deliver it to the Sanctuary. At first this surprises you, but it was nothing as the hours went by. Ladies on their knees, crying, another circling to advance, others in chains. Many dressed in purple sack suits, in honor of the clothing that the saint wore and his characteristic color. Late in the afternoon it was already bustling with people, both men and women were smoking cigars and inside the little church the heat and smoke began to be unbearable. The priest who was saying mass, prayed over and over again not to smoke inside the temple, but the devotees paid no attention. Smoking Habanos and Santeria in Cuba are two closely related things that I have not discovered yet. After the sun went down, more and more people kept coming, I don't know where they came from but it was boiling and as the hours passed the passion for Babalú was breathed more in the environment, People in a trance acclaiming the Saint, burning themselves with lighted candles arriving with bloodstained knees, full of rum, that is to say a strong spectacle where they exist, at least for us who were not used to such acts.
