The Mirror Behind the Mask: Experiences of Five People Living with HIV/AIDS Who Practice Santeria

Abstract

This qualitative study was an exploration of the experiences of five persons living with HIV/AIDS who practice Santería. Santería is an Afro-Cuban religion derived from the Yoruba tradition in which African orishas (deities) are syncretized with Catholic saints for worship. Spirituality and religion have been described as essential to the well being and healing processes of people living with HIV/AIDS. Historically, persons with HIV/AIDS and practitioners of Santería, have experienced stigmatizing public reactions. Three areas explored were: how do persons with HIV/AIDS manage living with their disease, what role does the religion of Santería play in their experiences, and what has been the experience of these persons with traditional health care providers. The qualitative methods utilized were interviewing and participant observation. This study is consistent with Rogers' (1992) Science of Unitary Human Beings and with Moch's (1998) health-within-illness model.

The participants described their relationships with families, friends, and health care providers as both challenging and supportive. Relationships with their ancestors, spirit guides, orishas, and God were described as spiritually fulfilling. The participants discussed hospital experiences, complicated medication regimens, and their utilization of complementary healing techniques such as herbal and spiritual cleansings.

Findings included that self awareness, a purpose in life, interrelatedness with others, relationships with a higher power, and access to negotiable health care were integral to the life processes of the participants. Energetic phenomena such as clairaudience, clairvoyance, intuiting, channeling, and healing techniques were also associated with how the participants related to themselves and others.

According to the participants, fear-based reactions to HIV/AIDS and to the practice of Santería continue to exist and were experienced in their interactions with families, friends, and health care workers, as well as the public. Inconsistent with previous literature on practitioners of Santería, the participants did not believe their illnesses were the result of sorcery, revenge, or punishment from God. These participants were knowledgeable about transmission of the virus and did not blame others for their health-illness process. They did not indicate that communication among medical practitioners and their guides in the religion determined their medical treatment adherence.