The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-01-06
vOODOO RITES
BRING KILLINGS
Cuba Excited Over Disappear
anCe of White Children.
SEVERAL NEGR. ES LYNCHED

Strange Rites Brought to Cuba With
First African Negro Slaves Still
Persist Wherever Remnant Of These
People is Found-White Children
Offered as Sacrifices to Their Deities
BLENDING Of Heather and Chris.
tian Practices Is Astonishing.
The disappearance of young white
children, who are believed to have
been carried off by negroes and sacri-
feed In vOOdo0 rites, has greatly ex-
cited public opinion In Cuba, and for
the first time since the cessation Of
Spanish rule cases of lynching have
occurred.
VOodooism has been practiced In
Cuba under the name Of "Brujerla"
ever since the first African negro
slaves were imported as laborers on
the sugar plantations, about 400 years
ago. 1t persists wherever any rem
nant Of these people is found.
Brujeria IL based on the belief In
the power Of certain idols to effect
cures for physical and mental all
ments and to grant requests concern
ing love affairs and curses, etc.. the
believer having to make certain sacri-
fees.
Use Images Of Saints.
1t is noteworthy that in Cuba the
negroes utilize images Of Catholic
saints and assign to them the powers
supposed to belong to their idols.
where visits have been made to the
houses of these people, affairs have
been found somewhat resembling
Catholic affairs. the images of the
saints being dressed in special colors
corresponding to the idols they are
supposed to represent, and around are
fruits and vegetables, calabashes.
strings of colored beads, and the ever
present tom-tom, without which the
seances are never held. The blend
ing of Christian and heather practices
is astonishing, and even the voodoo
prayers resemble Christian prayers.
To comply with the law many col
ored societies have been formed. such
as institutions for mutual succOr, in
struction and recreation, but under
this cover negroes in many cases have
carried on their fetish worship.
In modern times the "Brujos' APP
parently satisfied the demands of their
deities by the sacrifice of animals.
either white or black fowls, goats, or
cats. ETC., although cases had been
known where they had taken away
bodies from cemeteries. But about
eleven years ago cases were regis
tered where it was demonstrated that
the Brujos were trying to obtain young
white children for their sacrifices.
Since then a number Of young white
children have disappeared and IT is
the general belief that these children
have been murdered with the object
of taking their blood and entrails for
the Brujos' witch doctors, these be-
ing considered strong fetishes for the
cure of ailments.
Though it has been difficult to prove
the charges against any individual
the sacrifices being carried out in re-
mote regions-several negroes have
been convicted and have received
heavy sentences.
Find Bodies Of Victims.
In several cases no trace has been
obtained of very young white girls
who have disappeared from their
homes, but where the bodies have
been discovered it has usually been
found that the viscera have been re-
moved.
These outrages growing in number
greatly excited public opinion, and in
June of this year the first case OF
lynching occurred. the place being the
Guanabacoa suburb of Havana. In
this case young white girl had been
sent on an errand, but failed to re-
turn. She was eventually found in
the company of a negro. BY this time
the indignation of the crowd had been
aroused, one end of rope was tied
round the neck of the negro and the
other end to the tail of bareback
mule, and the mule logged to gal
lop.
Soon after this occurrence another
case again excited public indignation.
At Matanzas a white girl disappeared,
and after some time information was
obtained that the body had been
buried in the cemetery under cover Of
night, and upon this body being ex-
humed it was found to lack the brains,
heart, tongue and blood. Five negroes
known to be Brujos were detained on
suspicion Of having been implicated
In this sacrifice. The crowd attacked
the prison, but were beaten off by SOL
diers. However, the negroes lost
their lives. 1t appears that they tried
to escape and were shot down and
killed by the soldiers. Since these
happenings other negroes have been
arrested on charges Of a similar char
acter, and raids have been made wher-
ever the practice Of voodoo rites has