12 laps to Ceiba so that wishes are fulfilled, offerings next to their roots so that they reach the deceased and the saints… the miraculous tree, a refuge for güijes and spirits.
So are the popular legends and myths around the most characteristic tree in Cuba, the sacred tree par excellence of the Yoruba: the majestic ceiba.
It is said that this tree houses the souls of all the dead and they inhabit it permanently.
It is also clear to believers and non-believers that this tree is not cut down or burned. In fact, in order to bring down one of these blessed centuries-old trees, it is advised that one must consult with the Orishas and take extraordinary precautions.
And it is that the Ceiba, in the Yoruba religion, is a deity called Iroko and in its conception it is Aramu, or the Virgin of the Mercedes de los Ararás.
The legend of La Ceiba and the spirits
They also count patakies of the yoruba religion, that the more important a person is on earth, and the higher his hierarchy, the sooner his spirit will go to take refuge in the Ceiba, sacred tree once I pass away.
The fact that the offerings are deposited around it indicates that the dead who reside within it are fed.
To do this, a trace is made on the ground, and on it is placed a gourd or a new white plate that contains the food that the deceased person most wanted in life. Coffee or another drink is also added, four candles are lit, and the deceased is called.
It is said that a saint sits atop the tree who calls out to the spirits, to all the souls.
The ceiba and religious ceremonies
In many cultures the Ceiba it has a strong connection to the spiritual world. Even the Chinese who live in Cuba consider it the throne of San Fan Kong, the equivalent of the Santa Barbara.
For the practitioners of the Yoruba religion, whoever plants a kapok You will have a lifelong commitment, and how you care for her will depend on your health and happiness.
At the foot of the Ceiba, blessed tree, a ceremony called Itiambo is performed for the soul of a deceased person. The godchildren, godparents, brothers and religious friends of the deceased participate in it.
