Cuban mythology is considered one of the most original in America, sometimes dominated by humor, others by deep artistic fantasy or by harmful superstition. Myths and legends constitute valuable oral documents of the people and a clear warning of the different formations and deformations of popular cultures.
In the Popular Councils of Mexico - Banagüises, René Fraga and San José de los Ramos the belief in mythological beings has been more deeply rooted. In the first two, due to the strong process of transculturation and miscegenation around the sugar industry, and in the third, due to its rural environment characterized by agricultural production, northern streams, mountains and rodeo. The beings that are most repeated are called:
Mothers of waters +
Mothers of waters: It is present in fairy tales and Amerindian legends. For older Cuban mythology, she is a powerful and magical magical snake or majá that lives in rivers, lagoons, dams and wells, and is responsible for the fact that the waters are always present in these hydrographic accidents. From Pinar del Río to Guantánamo there are numerous stories about the Mothers of Waters. As coinciding characteristics are: majá of great size, often of exaggerated proportions; live in the water and have the maximum responsibility for ensuring that the place where it lives does not dry out. There are… Read MoreCagüeiro +
Cagüeiro: It is a myth from the eastern region. These are human beings who have the ability to become any animal when they see themselves in danger. In general, the legend states that the Cagüeiro is dedicated to stealing or making mischief, and when he was persecuted by the Rural Guard and the peasants, he uttered a spell to become the animal he wanted and thus get rid of a possible capture. Taking advantage of the low cultural level and the high degree of superstition of the peasant population at the beginning of the Revolution, the internal counter-revolution turned Benito… Read MoreChichirikús +
Chichirikús: In Afro-Cuban mythology, they are disturbing spirits or entities that are represented as small black beings, either hairy or bald, who have red eyes and usually spark sparks. They are also defined as idols or twin dolls that the ngangulero "loads" with his magical arts (sorcery). Generically, for all descendants of Africans in Cuba, the Chichirikús are endowed by the wizard with movement, will and intelligence. There are testimonies of his presence in the bell tower of the batey Mexico (guardians of it), the barrack of the batey Santa Gertrudis, the town of René Fraga and a dam that… Read MoreCuban mythology of lights +
Cuban mythology of lights: In all Cuban regions it is common to hear stories about mysterious lights that come out at night in the mountains, mountains and coastal areas. Generally they are mobile, they divide and then they group together, they emit loud sounds similar to a dry wind, and according to the beliefs of the peasants they are related to some wandering spirit that in need of peace in the afterlife, indicates to the peasants the place where he hid a treasure or asks to have a mass for him. The richest area for this belief ranges from the… Read More
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