Quimbisa, also known as Kimbisa, is a unique branch or rama of Congo religion in Cuba. The widely accepted history of Kimbisa is that it was founded by a Cuban Criollo of Haitian ancestry named Andrés Facundo Cristo de Dolores Petit (1830-1878). Andrés Petit, or Andrés Quimbisa (as both he and his successor were called) is a figure of mythic proportions in Afro-Cuban religion. He is at once loved and hated by certain segments of the community. He is said to have synthecized various elements of religious and spiritual practice found in Cuba into a new and uniquely Cuban religion.

La Regla Kimbisa del Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje, as the lineage Petit is credited with founding is called, combines elements from Abakua, Espiritismo, Masonry, Ocha, and Christianity but with a strong and omnipresent Congo foundation. It forefronts religious devotion as much as mystical practices.  In retrospect, it is perhaps more accurate to discribe his role as having codified and elucidated combinations already appearing to different degrees among Cubans during the mid 1800s.

He is credited with saving Abakua by admitting politically connected whites for essentially the cost of the rituals, and alternately by those opposed to his decision with having sold the secrets of that tradition for profit. The rest of his life and actions, such as can be confirmed tend to present him as an altruistic and seriously spiritual individual, making claims of abuse on his part a matter of debate.

Today, several legitimate lineages of his survive in Cuba. Additionally a number of traditions which incorporate his ideas minimally also claim to be Quimbisa. This suggests that he may have built upon pre-existing traditional sources than are commonly believed today, the origins of which have been eclipsed by the dramatic legend he became. Many in the US tend to claim association with whatever appears to be the current fashion, and Kimbisa is one of these.

© 2006 by Eoghan C. Ballard, Ph.D. Not intended for reproduction in total or in part. Short excerpts may be quoted only with appropriate attribution after receiving written permission from the owner of this site.