On Friday December 16 2022 we gathered at the home of our Boricua relatives Robert and Myra Rosa in Deltona Florida with members of the Taino community in that city to celebrate this year's Taino Winter Solstice Ceremony. It was a pleasure to share ceremonial space with Chris Castillo, who is training to take responsibility of the Caney Circle behike position in that community.

We were overwhelmed by the hospitality and generosity of our hosts, Robert and Myra.

My nephew Santi assumed the responsibility of the role of Yokahu the solar Yuca-plant spirit. 

First he stood in his role as sun spirit during the Radiant Sun dance

After the Radiant Sun Dance we men processed back to where the women were so that we could impart the blessing of the ceremony on them by anointing their faces with bija paint (achiote)

The Shark Dance took place afterward

Finally we brought the three-point cemi image that represents the soul of Yokahu who died at Fall Equinox in September back to the womb of his mother Atabey so that he can be reconceived again and be born in the Spring. We accomplish this by tying the three-point cemi to the uterus-shaped oval of the Coa Hoop.

Once Yokahu's soul had been connected to the womb of Atabey we knew that it would gestate there in the form of a divine fetus until March of next year at Spring Equinox. At that time he will again emerge triumphant from the divine womb and be born to start the sacred annual cycle of life all over again.

Han Han Katu