CANEY INDIGENOUS SPIRITUAL CIRCLE WINTER SOLSTICE 2010 IN MIAMI

[Miguel Sague Jr]

Takaji My Relatives

We gathered under the shelter at Women's Park on Flagler Street in Miami to celebrate Winter Solstice 2010 under an overcast and rainy sky. We were joined by our brothers and sisters from Boriken and Cuba and other Native communinities as we offered  prayers and chants in honor of the final return of the soul of Lord YokaHu back to the womb of his divine mother Ata Bey after his death three months ago at Fall Equinex.

Even though our beloved Grandmother Karaira, the official representative of the United Confederation of Taino People in South Florida was not able to attend we nevertheless established a UCTP presence for those who might be interested in the organization.

Our shrine and altar gave an opportunity to our participants to appreciate the cemi images of our sacred spirits Yoka Hu, Ata Bey, the ancestor being Deminan Karakarakol, and the birds, colors and sacred food mothers of the four directions, North, South, East, and West.

 

The powerful chants to Yoka Hu and the energies of the four directions resonated out from our protective shelter accross the tropical downpour as we observed the various rituals of our Caney tradition. We sang to the rhythm of the rattle and the sacred mayohuakan played by my son Miguel Banomanigua.

 

I shared the traditions of the Coa hoop as the repressentation of Mother Ata Bey's uterus where Yoka Hu returns on Winter Solstice Day.

 

Our ceremony honored the liberation and perseverence of Life and Hope over grief through the Radiant Sun ritual in which the young man representing Yoka Hu is featured as the solar lord surrounded by the radiating solar ray cords that are held by men standing all around him.

The traditional Shark Dance illustrated the ability of the Lord of Life to vercome the challenges that allow living beings to learn from our experiences.

The young man chosen to perform the ceremonial role of Yoka Hu this year was my own grand-nephew Stryder, son of part Taina and part Mohawk Monique Diabo.

His well-aimed arrow found its mark and the shark trickster spirit was vanquished in representation of the triumph of Life and hope over despair and death.

A powerful confirmation of divine approval for our ceremony manifested itself as we concluded the proceedings when a spectacular full double raimbow suddenly arched accross the sky and radiated promise and blessing on our gathering.

 

Taino Ti

Miguel

[Miguel Sague Jr]

Please enjoy the wonderful photo show prepared by our newest CANEY INDIGENOUS SPIRITUAL CIRCLE member Michael Gonzalez. It shows the highlights of our Dec 18 2010 ceremony

[Miguel Sague Jr]

I want to thank all of the beautiful people who joined us this past Saturday for our Winter Solstice Ceremony. Hahom/Bo Matun