Page 12 - AHATA

Monday 26 February 2024 locAl
A10

Native tree gourds or calbas Episode CVI - 106

NOORD — Since the beginning of time people have originated in Mexico and Peru. Differ-
collected and selected all kinds of objects and ent gourds form different species were
things for an infinite use and reasons; plants were very much sought after and appreci-
used to build shelters, bridges and transportation, for ated in Europe for practical and dec-
food, medicine, color pigments, to weave clotting orative purposes. Like many religious
and ropes, for musical instruments, tools and weap- and metaphysical symbols, the gourd
ons, and all sorts of unimaginable things. The gourd has a dual purpose: the gourd is rep-
was used a storage container, a gourd may hold har- resented as a maraca and the womb
vested fruits, nuts, and crops or as a tool to serve and which carries seeds of fertility, here by
transport food and liquids. representing a culturally symbolic mu-
sical instrument. When a gourd is used
Dried gourds where a stick is inserted through as a as a water container, it may also be calbas, for this reason, happy in their
handle and filled with seeds as a shaker are called considered a carrier of life. Without wa- eagerness to grab him, they spilled its
maracas, used to keep the rhythm during festivals ter there is no life. Unlike a harvested contents. When they realize that the
and magic’s ceremonies. There are approximately crop which must be uprooted from the contents of the gourd have turned into
850 species of plants which fruits, offer well-known earth and loses its life force, water is in a fish, they give in to physical tempta-
natural light and beautiful biodegradable containers. a continuous state of living. Long be- tion and ate the fish. In this first myth,
Some offers a great variety of colors, others had fla- fore the Europeans arrived the Guara- the pumpkins are represented as a
vor in a variety of shapes and sizes and shape; Some ni drank mate, a South-American tea, tomb for dead beings and a womb for
grew on trees others grew on vines from the spheri- in containers made of gourds where living beings.
cal to the bottle-shaped, some were edibles. Many they mixed medicinal and aromatic
herbs.This is how different gourds and To get to know more over Aruba’s and
calbas play important roles in different its origins, its animals and culture, we
cultures. In the Taino creation myth it highly recommend you to book your
represents disbelief and the loss of faith visit for our renowned cultural encoun-
and was used in the divination rites of ter session has been entertaining curi-
the Taínos, in this tribe there is a story ous participants for decades. Mail us
that tells that the Tainos in the desire at etnianativa03@gmail.com or What-
to ‘see’ Yayael murdered warrior who sApp 297 592 2702 to confirm your par-
they were invoking in a ritual believing ticipation. Our facilities and activities
that Yayael was physically inside the take place close to high rise hotels.

Aruba to me

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