Location: Spanish Harlem, Manhattan

In DEVOTION CALLS, Ricardo Fernandez poses as a santero and owns a botanica in Spanish Harlem.

What’s a botanica?

Botanicas are stores selling religious items or items for use in the AfroCuban religion of Santeria. That includes things like books, herbs, minerals, stones, pottery and metal urns for Orishas, metal or wood figures or other ritual objects for Orishas, and even jewelry.

What is Santeria?

Santeria is a religon that combines elements of African and Catholic beliefs in the saints. Santeria was brought with slaves from the West Coast of Africa and established itself in Cuba. This religion is practiced in Cuba and among some people in the United States. Santeria is a recognized religion in the United States (I believe by virtue of a Supreme Court ruling).

Botanica shops, or botanicas, cater individuals who practice this traditional religion, but also sometimes stock religious items and herbs that others may use.

In Santeria, Olorun is the supreme deity. He is the creator of the universe and of the Orishas (other lower deities). Each Orisha has its own name, symbols, offerings, music and other favorite things.

Because santeria is a mix of African practices with Catholic beliefs, Olorun and the Orishas are often represented by statues of the saints.