There is magic to be found within the dilapidated ruins of the once prosperous and flourishing city of Havana. Even though this city has endured an unfair amount of hardships and economic misfortunes, its streets thrive and pulse with passion, creativity, faith and hidden histories. And if you are very lucky, you may catch a glimpse, or hear the rhythmic beat, of an ever-present magic from beyond a crumbling wall or etched into the bark of a coconut tree that beckons you to follow its cryptic footprints.
The story of magic in Cuba is very much the story of survival. The people of Cuba may have lost everything they had, they may be the subjects of cultural assimilation and abusive domination, but the power and energy that survive in the spirit of these people is evident and will continue to provide salvation and hope. Whether this magic chooses to morph into the accepted appearances of saints or pops out to shock the holy ghost out of patriarchal spiritualists this magic is still present on every street corner.
Wandering through the maze like streets of Old Town Havana is fascinating, you never know what you will find ,as there are many open doors but shop signs are unlikely. Are you walking into someones house, or a shop, or maybe even a local watering hole?
Some stores were more obvious than others as they’d have a front counter or an old freezer humming in the corner with a few cans of Tukola on its shelves. A rare entrance would boast an actual counter with a glass display at the front of the store. All this considered, I was very lucky to find a Santeria supply shop. True, it had no official sign, but there was this unique piece of art displayed on a stone wall by door.
Upon entering the small room the store owner grabbed my arm and planted a large kiss on my skull tattoo. This is not a new experience, I have had this happen in Mexico before, and I figured it was the Santa Muerte connection, who resides in Cuba as well, even though I do have to admit the tattoo is of the Crimson ghost (perhaps the added halo helps). Although a bold introduction, I was willing to accept the cultural differences in rules of first introductions and I soon made a new friend. We pieced together some words between my broken spanish and his fragmented english. I can’t tell you what it was exactly, but this was the first time on this trip I had felt at home.
The store contained an interesting assortment of supplies….shells, horse hair whips, baby dolls, herbs and charms. My friend pointed out two crowns hanging from the ceiling, she obviously knows me too well (I love to dress up and I’m also a sucker for tiaras). The crowns were made of metal and each had charms hanging off of them. I asked what they were and all I could make out was Yemaya. Yemaya is the Santeria Orisha who rules over the ocean. I was thrilled, as I have quite the collection of different mer-lore so this was a perfect fit. Thinking both crowns were the same I chose the crown on the left and my new friend wrapped it in news print. I left the shop giddily carrying my new purchase.
It wasn’t until after I returned to Canada that I realized there was something odd about this crown. Why would Yemaya’s crown have charms in the shape of a machete, a lightning bolt, an animal trap and even a little mask on her crown? Where’s the shells, etc?
Upon further investigation I discovered that this was actually an Oya crown! Oya is a warrior goddess, and the guardian of the cemetery gates, who uses lightning to strike down her opponents, and in worse cases she can call upon an army of the dead. Oya rules storms and wind bringing change through monumental weather events. She is known to guide those that have passed through the cemetery gates to their eternal resting place. For further info on Oya check out Original Botanica.
Offerings to Oya include black hens, chocolate, eggplant, brown or purple candles. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the dead black hen in a bag outside the gates of the large central Havana cemetery, Colon Cemetery, which I had thought little of (or tried not to) at the time.
There was also this beside the hen:
Well at that moment it was as if a large bolt of Oya’s lightning struck me when I read that she is sometimes related to St. Brigid, a timely discovery as we were entering the Imbolc season ruled by Brigid in the Celtic tradition.
So, here’s what I could make out on the connection, and I write humbly on the subject as I know there’s very much more to learn and something I will continue to study.
Santeria, is the mix of the Catholic religion and the Yeruba religion, which was brought through slaves in the new colonies to Cuba and other areas. In Santeria the orishas are spirits, they could even be called demi-gods of this faith. Offerings are made to the Orishas in return for favours; they can also bring lessons and blessings and often work through possession. A similar incarnation happened in Haiti with Voudon~ the loa, or lwa, are the spirits, or demi-gods, of this religion, each spirit represents a part of life which can be honoured and called upon for favours. The sister Loa to Santeria’s Oya is Maman Brigitte, a death loa and the wife of Baron Samedi. Maman Brigitte and Baron Samedi are responsible for guiding the spirits of the living into the afterlife and they protect the graves in the cemetery.
Here’s where it connects to Brigid. People of Ireland were brought to Haiti to work along side slaves through “indentured servitude” (essentially slavery, except they were given a promise that they would be free after a certain amount of time). Maman Brigitte is a mix of the spirit of Oya and the goddess Brigid and is often depicted with red hair, like the goddess. The theory is that when sickness took hold of the colonies, the Irish brought St. Brigid (or goddess Brigid) to the bedside of the sick to help heal. She would also bring peace to a dying soul and comfort them while guiding them into the afterlife. An assignment often procured by Maman Brigitte or Oya.
After doing some research I still felt that the spirits represented were still so far removed from the Goddess Brigid I am aware of. The Brigid I am familiar with is the goddess of the home and hearth, bringing warmth and the promise of the return of spring. She is a bringer of change in a slower, benevolent way, warming our hearts with hope. Whereas Oya brings change in a swift and sometimes painful manner (for example; hurricanes and their devastation have been blamed on Oya) ~even if these situations bring regrowth and renewal they seem more destructive in nature than my reins knowledge of the goddess Brigid.
It was in the pages of Brigid: Mystery and Magic of the Celtic Goddess by Courtney Webber that I found the warrior side of Brigid and although she is a caring and nurturing goddess she can be a fierce protector of her people. The Celts had woman warriors and many of these warriors were priestesses who would bring the protection of Brigid with them into the battlefield. Webber describes “Brigid was known to scream and fly across the battlefield in the province of Leinster”and she was also seen handing warriors her staff. Another unusual ability of Goddess Brigid was her ability to call upon an army of animals to aid in battle, not quite the army of the dead that Oya commands, but this command of nature is still a common thread.
Brigid would also be called upon to shed light upon the truth, similarly Oya can bring justice when called upon. As with the wind, Brigid is seen as carrying a white rod that she uses to bring warm winds and change, Oya brings the winds of change too, although she prefers to carry a lightning bolt. There are many more connections, such as the tools both use, tools of agriculture, Oya carries hers in respect for a past relationship, Brigid uses hers in regards to fertile soil, etc. No matter what each goddess offers to her worshippers, the one common thread seems to be that they give us deeper ways to look at nature, change and the wheel of life that can often catapult us forward into change, whether we like it or not. With spring a few floods are likely to come.
This Imbolc I added a new tradition to my own practice and aside from making an altar for Brigid I made a special place in my house for Oya’s crown and made an offering of a deep purple coloured candle and some dark spiced rum.
May you harness the energy you need to endure the last weeks of winter through whatever warms your soul and sparks the fire of your passion.
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