As a child you wouldn't dare to be near a silk cotton tree on a full moon night. As a matter of fact, you wouldn't dare be near one at all. Malicious spirits of all types roamed under this tree......so you could understand why a child's imagination would see it as evil.
When did this begin to be taught to our youngsters. I ask why, because in West Africa, Puerto Rico,and other places where the Silk Cotton Tree plays a part in the spiritual Heritage of the African Diaspora, the Silk Cotton tree is seen as a link between the spiritual world ans ours. It is not placed in the "evil" file. Rather, it is seen as a place where one can commune with spirits of old, and seek their wisdom. Offering up gifts to the ancestors for wisdom, or connecting with nature for healing is what the tree represents for most.
When did Jamaica (Duppy Tree) and Trinidad start seeing it as evil, and disconnecting from its healing energies? This me chooses to ponder....hmmmmmmmmm.
Comments
Lately I've been thinking about our local trees & herbs and how much we don't know/ appreciate them. I think more works should be done by local academia and those suitably qualified to investigate this and publicize it to the wider public...imagine people using cures from their own backyards rather than buying expensive imported medicines!
...but to say something direct to the topic, I think ALL the trees have special gifts. I have *seen* the creatures/ fairies whatever you want to call them that live in my guava tree outside my window. There is truth in what the Ancient Greeks used to say about the nymphs that inhabited various plants & trees. The Amerindians believed that the guava tree was a special tree that contained the souls of the dead and used to leave offerings for it.
I think you have an interesting point in this post....I always grew up learning to fear those folklore charcters...Mama Glow/ Maman D'Leau who is actually Mami Wata/ Yemaya of the African vodun tradition....how much do we *really* know about our folklore that has not been filtered though the societal screen of colonialisation, ignorance, bias?