Santurismo (Santeria + Turismo) refers to the popular formula of Afro-Cuban religions and tourism and initially served the Cuban government in the 1960s to promote Santeria as a folkloric product of Cuban identity through staged performances in touristic surroundings. Gradually, it became a coping strategy by Cuban people to deal with political and economic hardship during the Special Period in the 1990s which led to the emergence of Diplo-Santeria by so-called jinetero-santeros. While the continuous process of commodification of Cuban Santeria is marked by local social, economic and political influences, it also relates to current tendencies in comparable religious and spiritual phenomena at a global level. Afro-Cuban religions have worked their way up from a stigmatized and persecuted religious system to a widely valorized religion in the spiritual and touristic sphere. Over time, Santeria has proved to serve as a weapon for resistance and struggle, which is still ongoing in Cuban society today. Published in Almatourism - Journal of Tourism, Culture and Territorial Development in 2018.
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