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Palo, also known as Palo Monte and Las Reglas de Congo, is an African diasporic religion that developed in Cuba. It arose through a process of syncretism between the traditional Kongo religion of Central Africa, the Roman Catholic branch of Christianity, and Spiritism. Initiates in the religion are termed paleros or paleras.
Palo teaches the existence of a creator deity, Nsambi or Sambia, who is uninvolved in human affairs. Central to Palo is the nganga or prenda, an iron cauldron into which human bones, sticks, and other items are placed. This is believed to be inhabited by the spirit of a dead individual, who becomes the slave of the palero or palera. The practitioner commands the nganga to do their bidding, typically to heal but also to cause harm. Those nganga primarily designed for benevolent acts are baptised; those largely designed for malevolent acts are left unbaptised. The nganga is "fed" with the blood of sacrificed male animals. Various forms of divination are employed to determine messages from the spirits.
Palo is divided into multiple traditions, including Mayombe, Briyumba, and Kimbisa, each with their own approaches to the religion. Palo is most heavily practiced in eastern Cuba although is found throughout the island and has spread abroad, including in other parts of the Americas such as Venezuela and the United States. Many paleros and paleras also practice another Afro-Cuban religion, Santería. Practitioners have repeatedly clashed with law enforcement for engaging in grave robbery to procure human bones for their nganga.