Cuban Folk-Lore

In Cuba, superstition weaves through daily life like a living tapestry, binding black, mestizo, and even educated white communities in a shared, uneasy respect for the unseen Brujo. This work uncovers the origins of those customs, tracing them back to African slaves, indigenous worship of an evil spirit, and the uneasy marriage of Catholic rites with older witchcraft. Readers are guided through the bewildering world of Ñañiguismo, a secretive order that blends African rituals, creedal symbols, and daring initiations.

The book describes the structure of the Ñáñigos societies, their secret passwords, the blood‑marked ceremonies, and the colorful festivals that surround them, all observed by the author from a cautious distance. It shows how the order evolved when whites and mulattos gained entry, reshaping rituals while retaining a fierce devotion to their patron saint, Santa Baraba. With vivid detail and careful scholarship, the narrative offers a rare glimpse into a hidden facet of Cuban cultural history.