Ferminita Gómez: Olokun's secret in Cuba and Latin America

Ferminita Gómez is a myth in the largest of the Antilles, the slave who entered Cuba at the end of the 19th century to work harvesting sugar cane became one of the most renowned santeras of the time.

Fermina Gomez Pastrana cultivated in his daily work good manners and religious knowledge that currently remain dormant due to lack of practice and judgment in the current rule of the Cuban Osha, like so many other customs that have been inadvertently being ignored by religious society.

Mother Yemayá protected Ferminita's leri

Ferminita had crowned Yemaya, his holy name was oshabi and her godmother from Osha was Ma Monserrate, both being members of the religious house La Pimienta, testimonies referring to her person reveal that she had a sweet character and a friendly manner, others disagree on the legitimacy of her guardian angel, referring to the possibility of That Ferminita had crowned another Orisha, it is true that her fame came from being the first person in Cuba to receive Olokun and the first to share the secret of Olokun and Orisha Oko in Latin America.

After this event, despite popular comments, it is known that he scratched heads and fulfilled the same functions as the Oba inside the saint's room, without counting the dozens of coronations that were born from his tureen.

Fermina, eternal devotee of Orisha Olokun

His Olokun lived in a well-protected room, so that curious views could not see it, it remained wrapped in blue cloth, adorned with vestiges of marine fauna such as sand, starfish, among other items, occupying a privileged place in his ilé and in his life, being one of the deities he loved the most.

Around the year 1944, he institutionalized the practice of offering Olokun the sacrifice of a pig from the undulation of a boat stranded in the sea, many anecdotes are told of the great iyalosha in which the religious people relate the fertility of their holy knowledge, but none exceeds the faith and devotion that they had to his Olokun, to whom even miracles are attributed.

Ferminita enjoyed great health and wisdom, passed away at the age of 107 in his beloved province of MatanzasIn Cuba, her Olokun is currently preserved in the house on Salamanca street, treasuring the bronze agogo and the four drums consecrated for her Olokun that she used, in said house the Shango at the head of her godmother Ma Monserrate is also treasured, Orishas that are currently in charge of relatives and godchildren of Ferminita Gómez.