enter into anincestuous relationship. They involve themselves sexually whileconfusing each other for Olofe. This leads me to another aspect of Santeria that is present in theplay, the trance like possession. During the moments that are filledwith sexual insinuations, feelings and acts and during intercourse itself,the mother and her son seem or believe that they are Olofe or that hehas taken them over by entering into their bodies. In Santeria it is apart of worship to be possessed by the spirits of the gods. Usually it isthe priests that are possessed but no one controls the gods. Anyonecan be possessed if the gods so choose. Here is where the root of theconfusion and chaos in their lives lies.The other aspects of Santeria that are present in the play aresong, dance and rhythm. Throughout the play, the beating of drums isheard in the background; it is the song of the carnival. Rhythm is veryimportant in the Lucumi religion. It is what coaxes the gods to comedown and at the religious ceremonies it is used to coax the gods topossess the priest. The rhythms, song and dance are all used asprayers to the gods. Song, usually in the form of chants to go alongwith the rhythms, and dance are also very important elements inSanteria. Throughout the play, both the mother and her son chantand the mother dances at some points while chanting. She relatesstories of the gods while doing so. These songs set the mood duringthe play and relate some of the background of the situation betweenthe mother and her son.I will continue now with a summary of the actions and the plot ofthe play. As I stated earlier, this play is about a struggle between twolovers, between a mother and her son, to possess love or to becomeOlofe. Throughout the play the mother and the son refer to each otheras different gods and goddesses and each claim to be Olofe or to bepossessed by him. There is one passage that sums up the basic storyof the play. Sleep, sleep,...
