Captivating Cuba

Hello,

I hope that everyone had a Happy Easters, or as we say in Cuba 'Feliz Pascual'.

Easter and Good Friday are both standard working days in Cuba, but one particularly important tradition that took place last week concerns the humble palm leaf.

Most of the houses and even the cars have giant palm leafs now hanging in their windows and on the island we call these guanos. These leaves have been blessed by the local priest and are used as an amulet, to keep our homes and families safe. We will leave them hanging until we are given another one during Easter time next year.

Some Cubans burn their guano during powerful storms to ask God to protect them, whilst others will place their guanos under the mattress of a sick child or family member.

With this is in mind, I thought I'd come on here and tell you of some more superstitions that we observe in Cuba.

On Good Friday, you wouldn't have seen any Cuban's swimming in the sea, as we believe that if anyone takes to the water on this holy day then they'll sprout fins and turn into a fish.

Twelve seconds before midnight on New Year's Eve the most important thing for a Cuban to do is eat 12 grapes. This may seem like a very strange tradition but the twelve grapes represent the 12 months of the year and so managing to eat all 12 means prosperity for every month of the year.

A pregnant woman should never give into any of her cravings, and if she wants a particular food then someone must go and get it for her straight away. If this doesn't happen then her baby will be born with a mark on its body resembling that food.

Of course, when a baby is born you should never touch its head, unless of course you are very close family. You would pat your family dogs head and so this is a very disrespectful way to act around a new baby. We actually believe that it is so disrespectful that you can only be cursing the new child or giving it bad blood.

Some of these traditions may seem a little strange to you, but in turn we think that is strange that in England, you say 'white rabbits' at the beginning of every month and think that black street cats are lucky!

Adios for now,

Hector

posted at: 18:28 | path: /hector | permanent link to this entry | 0 comments