Stephen D. Glazier
University of Nebraska-Lincoln





Stephen D. Glazier is Professor of Anthropology and Graduate Faculty Fellow at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He served as general editor of The Encyclopedia of African and African American Religions (Routledge, 2001). Glazier's other publications include: Marchin' the Pilgrims Home: a Study of the Spiritual Baptists of Trinidad (Sheffield, 1991), Caribbean Ethnicity Revisited (1985), and Anthropology of Religion: A Handbook(Praeger, 1999). He has conducted research on African-derived religions in Trinidad since 1976.
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Wither Sango?: An Inquiry into Sango's Prominence in the Caribbean

Twentieth century studies of African religions in the Caribbean focused on correspondences between members of the Yoruba pantheon and Catholic saints (see Bascom, 1972). On Trinidad, Grenada, and St. Vincent the major associations are between Sango and St. John. In Cuba, however, the main correspondence is with Sta. Barbara. This contrasts with other Caribbean islands (e. g. Haiti) and Brazil where major associations are with St. Michael, St. Jerome, and/or St. Peter. With respect to Sango shrines in the English-speaking Caribbean, Melville J. Herskovits, George Eaton Simpson, William Bascom, and Frances Henry documented extensive Sango devotion; especially on the island of Trinidad where all forms of Yoruba religion were reported as "Sango cults." Recently, leaders within various African religious communities (notably Rawle Gibbons) have attempted to de-emphasize the significance of Sango, labeling all African-derived religions as "Orisha work." At the Ninth International Orisha conference which was held in Port-of-Spain in 1999, there was not a single presentation devoted to Sango. Nevertheless, a recent survey of Sango shrines indicates a resurgence of Sango. Sango stools are well maintained, there is evidence of fresh sacrifices, and Sango appears to have attracted a new generation of devotees -- both male and female. It is of interest that among these new devotees, Sango is increasingly identified with St. Jerome and Sta. Barbara.