The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-11-10
Cuban SUPERSTITIONS.
A WIDE VARIETY OF oMENS AND
CHARMS CHERISHED.

peculiarly Beneficial Qualities
n,-t Eaten as Medicine - Moonlight
Rodes Ill-Number Is Abhorred.
Dorothy Stanhope writes as foilows
60 tho New York Times from Havana:
Inst as Americans have superstitiohs
which are unknown among the people
of this island, so the Cubans nave !
MANY which are unknown among us.
Among the educated people here these
have no more weight than among the
same class in the States. But among
the lower classes, there is the greatest
importance attached to them. AS 10
natural. most of the Omens are OF SICK
ness or health and their religion em-
bodies much of superstition also.
A belief very prevalent among inc
common people is that the rain water
of May has peculiarly benehclai quar-
tiles which that of no other time pos
sosses. Why the month Of May Is
favored is not quite plain, aithoueh
the fact that during that month the
rainy season begins may have some
bearing ON the matter. Certainly IL
It's waters have any curative powers,
every sick person in the island snonio
have been helped this year. TOT the
rain fell In torrents during the greater
part of the month.
Another belief that has strong hoia
ON the same class of people IS tnat Ger
thin diseases can be cured py ea'uhS
dirt and so when one of these diseases
manifests itself, the believer does DOT
consult a physician. but instead gain
ers nm n handful, of dirt and eats II.
If ony relief is obtained 1t must De
the result of faith cure. which the pa
tient is unconsciously trying. why All
kinds of germs are not taken IN WIN
} the dirt is a mystery-posslbiy they
are.
Still another means of relieving palu
: lin this instance, headaches 10y
pressing q leaf from a tree agailis'
each temple, and leaving it there LOT
some time. 1t does not seem AT III
necessary that the leaves shouio pe
3 from any particular kind of tree or
Il sbrub in order to effect a cure. IL Is
not unusual to see poor people going
about with their foreheads SO adorheo
The moonlight seems particularly
objectionable, and strangers are
warned not to go out in 1t with unco''
:, cred head, and not to go out In IL az
all If II can be avoided. 1t is though'
- that this light brings many evil enects
and not under any circumstances VII
n Cuban sleep in its rays-he thlhk'
that. among other things. 1T VIII draN
his mouth to one side of his face. IL
20 be sure he has never seen any on
= whom it has affected In this way Du
that does not interfere with his beliel
~ He also thinks that the night air !
- very injurious, and always closes III
- room I'D tightly at night, so that
vn air may come in to work its evil. Man
We Americans followed this exampl
10 when they first came here. thlnkln
20. that. as the Cubans had lived mel
Nv so long, they knew the best way OF III
~ Ing In this climate. Now, howeVe
no the majority of our fellow-counfr.
,ro men throw their shutters wide ope
,ly whenever circumstances will PERM
-, and leave only the iron bars OF Il
- window to oppose the entrance
,od fresh air. Many Cubans 60 about
night with their handkerchiefs
+o mouth and nose to keep the air fro
ION entering the lungs. Among some Z
in air near the sea is looked on Win u
n favor, and strangers are ADVISED
GRO to linger on the shore.
tho To ward off sicknesses or Vario
me KINDS tnere are i''io ,,,t ,
an, images to wear suspended about
ros neck as a kind of charm. Images
ION, the same kind are offered as thanl
oct giving or prayer, and so we IND ca'
nds In which are hundreds OF these III
ntv trinkets, hands, feet, arms. DaDles' {
81 Few American babies wear bracele
he Mothers seldom think OF such IN
ood as adding one of these to the or
low of a child of few months, Dut
As Door people have grave fears TOT
man child that does not wear one our
,itor the teething period. The cnlid
have little other clothing, proDa
nothing but a slip, but invariably
Cuban baby wears Draceiet On
left arm, even if that bracelet
80, nothing more than bit OF SUI
Speaking of babies, it Is the unlve
custom here to have the ears or
49, girls pierced at a very tenoer
usually before they are two mol
nted oio. ihiS 10 uon lite recess
SIS Often Door mothers tie strings In
49, ears of these baby girls for wan
i,o better earrings. Cubans, or at
np the poorer classes of Cubans'
- that every American baby whose
are not pierced must be a boy.
is The number thirteen is regarde
~ unlucky here, but it is not reierre
as often as it is among us. ri
:. is not thought an unlucky gay.
e deed. il is rather the contrary 1ol
nv Cubans. since Columbus d1scoV
su the West Indies on that day. Tue
is supposed to be a very unpropl
'iane dav of the week for starting
ney, beginning a piece OF WORK
doing any of those things whl'
other places are connected WIN
ies dav. The hooting of an Owl IS
io'ne as a very bad sign. The superst
he fu- ~, oroo4uro of this
IS and ouodn Ani9 az. $50 sounds nea
i'nn. home. This is supp ,sed to brea
ing to spen' anu - 49, Family shall
e that f,,+ure Rutt
resent 'n - - 80 nc omens.
~ Among the Cubans, especially
- ~, living at Key West, it is thought
unlucky to continue to live in
Gu v" in which a member of the famil
died. Among those at Key West
is a prejudice against owning