Ellis, Riley, authorLópez-Cabrales, María del Mar, advisorSuárez-García, José Luis, committee memberSnodgrass, Jeffrey, committee member2015-08-272015-08-272015http://hdl.handle.net/10217/167028Text in Spanish; title page and abstract in Spanish and English.This thesis addresses the interconnections between food, religious myths of the deities, called orishas, and well-being in Cuba, demonstrated through the ritualistic practices of Santería, specifically in La Habana. A parallel exists between the mythological world of the orishas and our own world, a relationship of give and take. Upon investigating the relation between ceremonial food, the mythological appetites of the orishas, and the practice of Santería in Cuba, I discovered a correlation between the nourishment of the orishas and the strengthening of believer´s well-being. This work focuses on Ochún, Yemayá, Changó and Orula, as they were the deities mentioned most frequently during my visit to the island. The methodology consists of the use of two disciplines: a literary analysis of Natalia Bolívar Arosteguí joined with an anthropologic investigation, incorporating ethnography via participant observation and formal interviews. The theoretic framework finds its base in the study of mythology by Roland Barthes, the culinary triangle of Claude Lévi-Strauss, Pierre Bourdieu's concept of food consumption and relevant literature concerning subjective well-being, such as Ed Diener. What I argue is needed is an ethnographically informed exploration of the culinary identity of Cuban Santería, framing it as a source of well-being.born digitalmasters thesesspaCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.Text