Palo Monte, or Regla de Palo Monte, is one of the main currents in Cuban popular religion. The main variant of Palo Monte is known as the Regla de Palo Monte Kimbisa, based on cabildos –or associations- of former slaves. Followers of Palo Monte are known as “paleros”. Cabildos in Spain are administrative entities. ...

Palo Monte has its roots in the Congo basin of central Africa, from where large numbers of African slaves were brought to Cuba. Accordingly, a large part of Palo liturgy (chants and invocations) is a mixture of the Spanish and Kikongo languages, other influences being introduced through their presence in Spanish. The Congo is the largest river in Western Central Africa. ... From the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning the work of the people, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may refer to, or include, an elaborate formal ritual (such as the Catholic Mass), a daily activity such... Kongo is the Bantu language spoken by the Kongo people living in the tropical forests of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo and Angola. ...

The Palo belief system rests on two main pillars: the belief in natural (“earth”) powers, and the veneration of the spirits of the ancestors. Thus, natural objects, and particularly sticks (hence the word “palo”, meaning “stick”), can be infused with powers, often linked to the powers of spirits. These objects are known as “nganga” and are the physical centre of Palo rituals.

A certain number of spirits are well-known in name and deed, and are factually venerated as gods. These spirits are most strongly associated with the Catholic saints in practice, although authors, especially for North American markets have attempted to associate them with Orichas. Thus the entity “Nsambi Munalembe” (also known as “Nsasi”, “Siete Rayos” and various other names) is the equivalent of Saint Barbara in Catholicism.

The number of followers of Palo Monte in Cuba is not known, though it is assumed that a slight majority of Cubans, particularly in the African-influenced cities of Havana, Matanzas, and in the Eastern provinces, believe in all or part of its principles. Havana (Spanish: San Cristóbal de La Habana; UN/LOCODE: Habana (CU HAV)) is the capital of Cuba and, with a population of 2. ...