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magicaguajiro · 4 months

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Caribbean Folk Saints and Mighty Dead: La Caridad del Cobre

Few symbols represent Cubanía or Folk Saints better than that of La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre. For almost as long as Cuba has existed as a colonial country, Cachita has been its Patroness.

La Vida de La Caridad

La Virgen de Caridad del Cobre is the Patroness of Cuba, copper miners, Rivers and Storms, and of violent rebellion. She is a Spirit unique to this part of the world, worshipped as a Goddess, venerated as an Ancestor, worked with like a Witch. The lore and practice of her Folk-Cults have become so intertwined with ancient Indigenous and African Spirits that its almost impossible to separate them. The story of Cachita, as she is called, is where many of her perceived areas of influence come from. Here is a concise telling of her story, of which I will break down and explain the folkloric elements;

"In the 16th Century, three men from Barajagua were out at sea to collect sea salt. Indigenous brothers Juan and Rodrigo de Hoyos and a young Black boy named Juan Moreno, "The Three Juans". A fierce storm came, so they turned to the young boy's Marian medallion in prayer. As soon as they finished their prayer, the skies cleared and up floated the physical statue, which stayed dry in the water. Attached to it was a sign that read "Yo Soy La Virgen de La Caridad".

The Virgin’s Vessel

These men brought it to an official and a church was erected, and all was well for a time. Until one day, when the priest went into her locked chapel to find the statue missing. He alerted authorities and a search ensued, only for her to reappear the following day. This happened three more times, so the people of Barajagua decided she must want to be moved to a different location. They took her to El Cobre, a copper mining town. The people here loved her, and rang bells and celebrated upon her arrival. The disappearances continued.

In 1801, a mestiza girl known as Jabba or Apolonia in the Sierra Maestras came upon the statue atop a mountain, and thus a church was built and the statue moved once again but not far. This is where her church was built once again. Eventually, she made her way to the colonial capitol of Santiago. This was seen by many as a power grab of influence by the government over the Indigenous and African Communities’ sovereignty.

There are many elements to this that represent her patronage. We have it starting with her being found by two Indigenous and one African men. Barajagua is still to this day an epicenter of culture preserved by Indigenous and Black communities of the Island, and in this time it was no different. This shows her patronage and reason for syncretization amongst these oppressed groups. Her power over weather has clear syncretic significance as well. Her being moved to the mining town of El Cobre shows her patronage of Copper and Miners. I will go into more detail, but the message is clear: La Caridad is more than just a Marian Apparition. She is a Spirit of her own, with pacts to act with authority in certain traditions.

The Cemí of Horizontal Waters

As with many aspects of Cuban culture, her roots in ATRs are clear and undeniable. What is lesser known are her ties to Indigenous practices within Cuba. I will mention that some refute these claims, but I recommend the in depth analyses by Olga Portuondo Zuniga and Maria Nelsa Trincado which is where I draw much of my information here apart from family and cultural history. I have spoken before about Atabey, and there is a wealth of information (and misinfo) on her all over the internet. She is the primary feminine Cemí, or ancestral spirit, of the Taíno groups in the Caribbean. She is called the Mother of Waters and is a primordial force of nature as well as an ancestor. She also has significant ties to La Caridad del Cobre, as well as other Cuban Madonnas venerated by the Indigenous Cubans.

Firstly, in her origin story, we see La Virgen has power to dispel storms. Later on, even as recent as COVID, we see dances and festivals held in her honor to bring rain or stop fire. This part has been attributed to come from Atabey, specifically to her destructive form known as Guabancex (Gwa-Ban-Sesh). She is the Cemí of natural destruction, called Cacique of storms and earthquakes with various sets of Twins at her aide. One set rules the wet and dry seasonal cycle of the Caribbean, known as Boinayel and Marohu respectively. Another set known as Guatauba, Cacique of Winds who would call all the Spirits of the Land with his Guamo (Conch Shell) and Coatrisque, Cacique of Torrential Waters who would gather and then release them unto the Land. One of her helpers, Jurakan, is where we get the word hurricane because he’s the cemí of Spiral Winds. Some even believe that this specific spirit was created to represent Atabey/Guabancex and baby Jesus to represent Yocahu/Jurakan. Cemí were also physical objects many times, carved or crafted to literally have the spirit inside of it.

These statues were considered alive, and could speak and move around according to colonial accounts. This is interesting because in her story we see how her statue moves around to various locations, often moving from indoors to somewhere in nature. This is strikingly similar to the accounts by Fray Ramon Pane on the behavior of a Cemí who “wished to be under the stars”. This Cemí statue would often get tired of the enclosed space he was in and would choose to run off to various locations. In this way, we see that La Caridad herself is a Cemí in a way. In analyzation of her physical vessel, they have also found her head is her original and is made of Corn fiber, meaning at this point in history it must have been made in the Americas. This further cements her Indigenous connections.

Something interesting to note is that almost immediately following first contact, my Indigenous ancestors welcomed the spiritual beliefs of the newcomers, but not in the way the colonizers wanted. Rather than turn away from ancestral faiths in favor of the Catholic Saints and Madonnas, they simply added these European statues to the same altars as the Cemi. While this was not the case for all Taino people, we do have one specific case in Cuba where a Cacique named Comendador and his people worked with a painted image of Mary, to whom they would petition for aide in War. While Caridad del Cobre is not this exact Mary, it is believed some of her traditions and virtues are sourced from this and other similar Spirits from the Island. I see her as merely one very specific face of Atabey, and there are many other Spirits and Saints who are others.

Afro-Cuban Liberation

You will often see La Caridad del Cobre syncretized, or associated, within Lúcúmí spaces with the Orisha Oshun, but she also has come to be used as a mask for many female spirits in other African Traditions, such as with Mama Chola Wengue in Palo. These religions and systems were often outlawed, so to continue them they had to be hidden. Its important to note that La Caridad is NOT an Orisha or mpungo or Lwa, she is a Saint who Afro-Cubans recognized as having similar domains of influence as their Ancestral Spirits. From these associations we see a rise in her popularity among practitioners in petitions for beautification and love, as well as for protecting mothers in childbirth once again.

La Caridad del Cobre also became associated with Oshun because of her connection to Copper, similar to that of Oshun’s Gold. Also, being found by an enslaved person and being housed in El Cobre, a town majorly built of enslaved Afro-Cuban Copper Miners. Similar to the Erzulies in Haiti, I have heard Oshun masked as Caridad inspired the miners to fight against the often fatal conditions they worked in. As a matter of fact, the edict which freed all the miners was read in front of the Statue of Cachita at her chapel in 1801. This further strengthened and showed how she was a Patron and Liberator of the oppressed, especially the Enslaved and their descendants.

There is also Cachita Tumbo. I include her here because she is from ATRs. She is a Lwa or Misterio venerated in Haitian and Cuban Vodou alike, as well as other practices. Sometimes mistaken for Anaisa Pye, another Indigenous-related spirit. It is important to note La Caridad also has connections as Ercilli in Cuban Vudu, but this is a syncretisation where as Cachita IS La Caridad herself. She is considered a New World or Indigenous or Creole/Mixed Spirit, connected to the River, sexuality, femininity, childbirth and the like. Her name Cachita is thought to come from the Taino language, and Tumbo an Afro-Cuban word meaning a dance involving thrusting the body. Think "La Negra Tiene Tumbao". This shows how she has roots as both Indigenous and African. She is a Spirit associated with La Virgen during the Slave Revolts, a connection strengthened in Cuba's Revolution against Spain. In this war La Caridad becomes known as La Virgen Mambisa, and it seems the War-Hungry Mary of Comendador is shining through once again. It is hard to find where Cachita ends and La Virgen Mambisa begins.

Traditional Catholic Practice

DISCLAIMER: Nothing I say here will include practices or knowledge that is closed, nor part of closed practices. Anything I share from this point on should be assumed to be UPG. DECOLONIZATION: This "saint" went unrecognized by the church for over three centuries. She was originally a Spirit venerated by Indigenous and African Cubans for resistance who was taken by the church and used to push Nationalist Ideals and Mestizaje. Know her history and preserve her ways that the Catholic Church has tried to erase.

Working within the Catholic Framework is the safest and most approachable way to work with any Saint, canon or not. I will say it is important to recognize that this particular saint went unrecognized by the church for over three centuries, most of her history up until relatively recently. She was originally a Spirit venerated by Indigenous and African Cubans who was taken by the church and used to This is because there is a set system and rules that can be followed. If I were approaching La Caridad the way Catholic Cubans would, it would be by either simply carrying her with me and visiting her holy sites or by setting up a space for her in my home. This would be a clean, bright space with a yellow candle, a depiction of her and any offerings I may choose to include, like Sunflowers or a glass of water. I would NOT include Orisha or Cemí imagery, as you should be wary to approach her as anything other than La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre unless you are under the direction of an elder. She does have a traditional feast day, which is September 8th. This day, devotees of all paths will visit her chapel, ‘ermitas’ that house replicas, or to the river to make offerings. Gold Milagros and prayers of healing, like those offered to San Lazaro, are a common Catholic charm used with La Caridad as well.

In Folk Practice

In my experience, La Caridad del Cobre is a spirit deeply tied to this part of the world I am in, the Caribbean (including Florida). She IS the Land in a way, a face of the Earthen Mother. I have spoken before on how I like to call her La Madre Mojada or the Wet Mother, the Mother of Swamps. Sometimes even Mother Gator depending on the situation. This is because she is the very Spirit of the pact between the Water and the Land that allows our wetlands to exist. Its important to remember she is not a historic figure who died and is venerated, she is a more of a Land Spirit given an image and name to facilitate her worship, so she often wears many faces. I also see her as a Witch Queen type figure, being the Creatrix and Immaculate Mother of God. I take this to mean shes the Mother of all the spirits of this Land as well.

Offerings that I have given that have been well received include various perfumes, gourds/pumpkins, gold and copper things but especially mirrors, sunflowers, oranges and local honey. As she is a bioregional spirit, I tend to bring her offerings to a River for her as this is one place she is often associated with in all traditions. I also try to source my offerings and workings for her as locally as possible. She also enjoys bells, which is attributed to the bells rung upon her arrival to El Cobre. She likes the number 5 and its multiples, and enjoys music and dancing. Yellow is classically associated with her, but also blue.

Much of my work with her is simply veneration, honoring and respecting her and my Ancestors through her. Seeing as she is barely Catholic in many ways, she has few qualms about lending her aid to witches and spiritual workers. She especially is a great ally to any marginalized people, and can help them to work or fight their way to a better position. She can be petitioned to for help in abusive relationships or in finding love or beauty. She is very ‘elevated’ even for a Saint, so while she does have certain domains, she can also be petitioned to for just about any situation for which you have no other recourse.

Baños de Caridad - Baths of Charity

There are many spiritual bath recipes associated with each of the previously mentioned spirits, but I’m gonna share a folk recipe associated specifically with La Caridad del Cobre so that anyone can use it. This recipe, literally called Baños de Caridad, is great for when you have had some rough luck and need a pick me up. Best made on a friday, this sweet bath is used often for finding employment, bettering health and attracting love. The process is as follows:

Light a yellow candle for La Caridad and dedicate it to her with a prayer. Light her some incense as an offering and to cleanse the space. Then place a large bowl of cool water in front of her. To this, add the sweet plants basil (albahaca) and boton de oro (gold medallion), working them into the water with your hands. Both of these plants are known for attracting money, improving health and clearing up the vibe overall. Then, add a drizzle of honey to increase sweetness and magnetism. Finish it off with two raw eggs, representing the divine twins and new life.

Charms of the Rainmaker

I’ve mentioned before the many connections between the many Mother of Waters figures in the Caribbean and her Divine Twins. This is seen in both Taíno and Seminole legends, as well as even within Lúkúmí with the Twins known as Ibeyi. There are also many charms in this area associated with the Weather, specifically protecting from storms and calling in rain.

One charm that is used in Taíno Indigenous Communities to this day to bring rain in times of drought is to take find stones, each representing one of the twin Cemí of weather. Tie them together and then find a tree brand to hang them in, preferably a Holy Tree like a Ceiba. Pray to the Wind, Rains, La Caridad del Cobre, whomever you are working with. Say that you will not untie the stones until it rains. Once the rain starts, and it will, quickly untie the stones and place them somewhere dry with offerings of flowers, water, fruit, tobacco or a song. You may choose to blow a Guamo when first petitioning, and then again when finishing the rite. This lends an extra power in calling the Spirits of water, harkens to Guatauba’s role.

Another charm I shared in my recent post on the Everglades the charm of tying a blade to part of your house in the direction of an coming storm to make it split and go around your dwelling. In the past a form of matari stones was used. These are basically Caribbean arrowheads, indigenous artifacts once used for their sharpness, now used in practices like Ochá and called ‘Thunder Stones’. You can also use any sharp outdoor tool, Seminole have an almost identical charm using an axe. The idea is the same in both cultures, you are splitting the Weather Twins apart and both have corresponding myths I talked about in that post.

A Note on Honey: Historically, there is a taboo associated with offering honey to La Caridad that you have not tasted yourself. This is a Lúcúmí belief stemming from practices related to Oshun, that transferred to popular zeitgeist. I include this not to recommend following it, but instead to say you may want to omit offering Honey to her altogether.

Fe, Amor, y Caridad

La Caridad is a complex and multifaceted spirit. She is now a recognized Saint, but she is definitely more than that. She has a deep relationship with this Land, and with the other Spirits that she was syncretized with. I hope this post helps adequately share what I’ve been lucky enough to learn and experience with Cachita and Elders who have spent their lives devoted to her.

Luz y Progreso 🌻

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