The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Jeslyn Miller

Harvard College
"How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song in a Strange Land:" Cuban Santeria in the New York City Diaspora Community

This study will address the ways in which diasporic connections to Cuba are articulated and maintained through the practice of Santeria in the United States. The central subject of this study will be fieldwork conducted in New York City, a vibrant center of the religious practice. Through participation in rituals and special events, interviews with members of the religious community, and the collection of textual, photographic, and material data, I will explore the living tradition of Santeria in New York City. Ultimately the goal of this study will be to provide a comprehensive history of Afro-Cuban religion in the United States and increase the understanding of how Santeria, and perhaps religion in general, changes as it is uprooted from its sacred place of origin, carried in the minds and practices of the Diaspora peoples and planted in a foreign region.

Dr. Lorand Matory is the faculty sponsor for this research.

Botanica Jesus de Nasareno (2005)

Botanica Santa Barbara (2005)

Casa de las Velas Otto Chicas-Rendon (2005)

Francisca y Iyalorde (2005)

La 21 Division Botanica (2005)

Original Products (2005)