This thesis seeks to shed light on the issue of religious syncretism in Cuba. It is about the coexistence of several religious beliefs that have been intertwined and influencing each other since the discovery of the Americas. Religious syncretism in Latin America is manifested in the fusion of different, even contradictory, beliefs and convictions. In particular, the beliefs of archaic civilisations, African beliefs and the Christian faith of the colonisers are linked. Throughout history, the contact between these cultures has led to a syncretic fusion in Latin America. Religious syncretism is still present in the reality of Latin Americans today. I will first investigate the history of the indigenous peoples of Cuba (the Guanajatabey, Siboney and Taíno peoples) and their rituals and beliefs. Then I will mention the discovery of Latin America, evangelisation and colonisation, which brought about the meeting of three different cultures: that of the Europeans, that of the Indians and that of the African slaves. I will also explore the impact of the Cuban Revolution on religion. The main focus of the thesis is on the analysis of syncretic religions in Cuba, where I will focus on Afro-Cuban religious practices that emerged as a result of transculturation. I will analyse the religions that have developed in Cuba out of syncretic fusion, focusing in particular on Cuban Santerismo, Palo Monte, Voodoo and Spiritism. Finally, I will explore contemporary religious developments and the practice of syncretic practices in Cuba.
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