Aycayía was a Cuban aborigine of singular beauty.
Her beauty and talents for singing and dancing were such that many considered her blessed, so much so that she proclaimed herself one of the few survivors of the shipwreck of the pirogue.
Aboriginal legend of Aycayía, which for its beauty suffered the envy of many
The Indian women were jealous and disgusted with Aycayía, because with her almost supernatural charms she seduced men, monopolizing their attention over work and her marital obligations.
The enraged women went to complain to the chieftain of the tribe, the one who met with the elders.
Together, they agreed that the beautiful young woman possessed superhuman powers and her right attachment to temptations made her extremely dangerous.
So they decided that Aycayía's destiny should not be other than exile to a place where she could not disturb anyone with her beauty, or distract men, much less cause marital conflicts.
The beautiful girl was forced to live in isolation
In this way Aycayía went to live in a secluded place on the island together with the old women and sick widows of the tribe.
Site where with his art for music and dance he began to cheer the hearts of those who kept him company with his performances.
The men, despite the distance, continued to visit Aycayía, because they wanted to have back the pleasure that his music and dance gave them, and with shells, gold nuggets and flowers they honored his presence.
The power of Majagua seeds as an amulet against infidelity
The Indians, upon learning of such a situation, asked the Cacique for an immediate solution to their problem.
He gave them some Majagua seeds, plant that behaves like an infallible amulet against infidelity, so that they were sown in front of their houses.
Well, with this action the madness of their husbands would be annihilated.
The Indian women quickly left for their homes to carry out the work and when the men arrived the change in their behavior could already be noticed, as they were more attentive and loving than usual.
As time went by, a strong hurricane hit the bay of Jagua, in the province of Cienfuegos, and as Aycayía and the old women had been abandoned, they were devastated by the storm.
The beautiful Indian embodied the body of a mermaid, while the widows were part of the marine fauna of the area.
Since then, the legend has been rumored that on stormy nights a mermaid sits on the reef of Jagua Bay to seduce men with her sweet melodies.
