Fermina Gomez Pastrana has left an indelible mark on the history of the Rule Ocha. Its secret is a treasure of Cuba and religion.
Fermina was a Cuban Iyalosha, known as Osha Biy and was also the first santera who gave the secret of Olokun, a ceremonial that until now was reserved for the babalawos.
Legend has it that she received the so-called Santo Parado (antecedents of the saint's seat) and in this ceremony only the Orisha at the head was delivered with a hand of snails and Eleggua.
Although he became a saint with an African known as "Ño José", who crowned him Oshun Between 25 and 30 years of age, the renowned Ma Monserrate González, "Oba Tero" gave him Olokun.Therefore, Fermina Gomez she was the first Cuban to receive Olokun.
Regarding Ma Monserrate González, another religious personality who marked our roots, many among her descendants agree that her Yoruba birth name was Apóto, and that she adopted Obá Tero, which means "the king has great calm" because it was the name given to him. had granted when she was ordained in her native Egbado to Shango.
There are many cultural contraptions in Osha Biy's house in Matanzas, which were entrusted to him by Obá Tero after his death in 1903, which represent evidence of support for Egbado origins.
Among them are the Obá Tero drums, the only known group of “Egbado” drums that still exist in Cuba.
Fermina Gómez and secrets that make history
To Fermina, Ma Monserrate González, he transmitted all the knowledge about the Orisha Egbados.
She became a highly respected figure by all branches of the Regla Ocha, due to her great knowledge of the orishas and her wisdom to worship Olokun in Cuba.
Fermina Gomez She was also the founder of the Egbado Cabildo, which practiced Santeria in the traditional way brought by African slaves to Cuba, thanks to her intelligence and her devotion.
Legends and popular myths attribute powers to this special santera. It is said that he could make himself invisible in the saint's room and that like that, he possessed the deepest secrets of religion.
Powers and inheritances
Fermina Gomez Pastrana He responded to the call of many personalities of the world, business and politicians of Cuba in the early twentieth century.
People from many parts of Cuba came to his Olokun ceremonies, that's how famous the santera was. These began on the eve of September 24 and lasted three days.
The story goes that Fermina practiced a secret rite only accessible to special people, during which the only Ilú Olokun that are preserved in Cuba were played.
In 1944, she gave rise to the tradition of feeding Olokun on the high seas, a novel detail for the history of the Regla Ocha in Cuba, but that had antecedents in Africa.
Today, some of the secrets of the first santera who gave Olokun's secret They are recorded in the notebooks of his multiple godchildren and descendants.
However, others will remain as great myths of Yoruba history in Cuba.
