Arará people are an Afro-Cubanethnoreligious group descendant from the Dahomey kingdom of West Africa, and retain a separate identity, religion, and culture than other Afro-Cuban people. Although Arará people have historically staunchly retained a separate identity and religion, overtime this identity has become more blurred and harder to retain, but still exists.
History
Origins
The Arará were originally enslaved as prisoners-of-war in the invasions of Dahomey by the Oyo Empire. Years after enslavement and transport to Cuba, Yoruba slaves descendant from the Oyo Empire began to arrive in Cuba. Due to the pre-existing tensions in West Africa these two groups remained socially distant and developed separate cultures and identities. Despite close similarities in their religious practices both groups retained separate priesthoods. It would not be until around the early 1900s that Arará and Yoruba Cubans would begin to comfortably culturally mix.
Evolution
Currently many Arará traditions have mixed with other Afro-Cuban traditions and retention of a solid Arará identity in heritage and things cultural has become difficult as over time various differing traditions and peoples have melded in a growing sense of Afro-Cuban cultural exchange, especially in religious practices.
Religion
Arará religion is a religion indigenous to Cuba. Its origins can be traced to the Ewe-Fon of Dahomey. Many gods known as "luases" are worshiped, similar to the Loa in Vodou, many of which are borrowed from Yoruba gods. Some minorKongo based rituals are also practiced. Originally the religion had popularity in Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba. Even though Vodou gods are venerated rather than Yoruba gods, Santeria practices and linguistics have merged into Arará practices. However, the music and dance of Arará ceremonies continues to be quite different from that of Santeria ceremonies, thus separating the two religions. It has been estimated that around the 1890s or the early 1900s Santeria and Arará religions began mixing, resulting in the Arará adoption of Santeria customs in guidance of ceremonies. Today many practitioners use Yoruba terminology to explain their practices but still continue to use unique ceremonial dances. Some of these dances are noted for their similarity to dances in Haitian Vodou because of both religion's shared heritage but the dances still remain different.
