The Osha Rule in the Canary Islands: a case study from the perspective of postsecularization

Abstract

This work approaches, from the perspective of post-secularization, the socioreligious reality of the Canary Islands, starting from the study of the community of practitioners of the Osha-Ifá Rule. This line analyzes how the visibility of the rituals and practices of this religion in the public sphere poses a challenge to the normative recognition of plurality. Is post-secularization a paradigm for a fruitful approach to the socioreligious transformations that occur in the context of the archipelago?  In this context, we reflect on the role of religious practices related to healing and folk medicine as an area of conflict between the local population and these communities. This conflict is echoed in traditional media and digital social networks. The universe involved in these practices utilizes local resources and engages in debates about ecological relationships, interspecies connections, and spirituality. The goal is to study this dynamic process where modernity and religiosity coexist and mutually influence each other. Both a processual perspective, focusing on performativity, and a postsecularization approach that bridges theory and empirical research can contribute to recognizing contemporary ways of living and understanding the sacred and spiritual aspects.