Caribbean Silk Cotton Tree And Its Dangerous Spirits In Myths And Legends

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Whether feared or admired, trees have always held a special place in the beliefs of ancient people. We encountered sacred trees in every corner of the world. There was a time when many of our ancestors were forest dwellers and relied on natural resources. Trees could offer shelter, healing, and protection, but some trees were feared and occasionally also avoided.

White silk cotton tree. Credit: Adobe Stock - Ilena

Trees As Abode Of The Dead

Many cultures were convinced trees were home to the souls of the dead or spirits. These invisible entities could be as benevolent as malevolent. Some were troubled, angry souls who could not find peaceful rest and tormented the living. Others were well-wishing spirits who could protect an individual from evil influences.

There are countless legends of fascinating trees and their indwelling spirits. Some are said to pose a real danger to humans on specific dates.

Avoid The Silk Cotton Tree On October 31 - Halloween

Turning our attention to the Caribbean, we encounter the silk cotton tree that is as magnificent as mysterious, according to old tales.

Known as the Ceiba Tree and the Kapok Tree in Asia, the silk cotton tree is one of the largest trees in the American tropics. It can gain a height of 80 feet or more and a diameter of five to eight feet. As previously discussed on Ancient Pages, the  Ceiba Tree is sacred to the Mixtec, Aztec, Maya, and many other cultures.

To the people living in the Caribbean region, the silk cotton tree has long played a vital spiritual role, as reflected in myths, legends, and folklore.

Some tree spirits can be harmful. Credit: Adobe Stock - New Arty

One unusual and intriguing tale concerns the warning of approaching the silk cotton tree on October 31 because ghosts living in the tree can be harmful on that date. It is a bit surprising Souls of the Dead should be more active at that time of the year since Halloween celebrations are rare in most Caribbean countries. On the other hand, Caribbean culture is full of chilling tales of demons, dangerous spirits, evil creatures, spooky places and events, so there might be a connection after all.

According to the beliefs of the Caribbean people, one should “never cut down a silk cotton tree except you throw a quantity of rum and rice around the root, otherwise the duppies who live in the trunk will injure you.” ¹

Silk Cotton Tree And The Shadow Killers

The silk cotton tree has long been associated with magic, and the Obeah. “It is said that some hundred years ago, the people of Jamaica believed in the powers of so-called “Shadow Killers.”

These were witches, wizards who spread terror by practicing black magic. The so-called “Shadow Killers” were men and women who became known as Obeah. What made many people especially afraid of the Obeah were the rumors that they could kill people by capturing their shadows.” ²

It should be added that most people in Jamaica did not approve of or practice Obeah. However, this could explain the belief that ghosts reside in the silk cotton tree. Adding to this is the gruesome story of how the Spaniards hid stolen treasures under the tree and then murdered the enslaved person who buried it so that his spirit would guard the treasure and no one would dare dig for it. “The same story is told in Guyana, except that it was the Dutch, rather than the Spanish, who would use this method to guard treasure.” ³

Taínos And The Forest Spirits Opías

The  Taíno people, a historic indigenous people of the Caribbean, believed the forests were home to the spirits of the dead called opías. Research offers genetic evidence clearly showing the Taíno people were never wiped out. “Using a 1,000-year-old tooth to sequence the first complete ancient human genome from the Caribbean, researchers can now confirm the Taino people are not extinct and still have living descendants in the Caribbean today.” ⁴ The legends of the opías have been kept alive, and some of the Taínos still believe in these elusive forest spirits.

The Ceiba tree reaches heights of 80 feet or more. Credit: Adobe Stock - Lucy Brown

Among all the spirits that are supposed to dwell in the forest, the opías can be easily recognized because they lack navels. When darkness has fallen or sometimes during the night, the opías emerge from the silk cotton tree and feast on guayaba fruit. “In fact, it is tropical bats who eat guayaba fruit at night which led the Tainos to associate opías with bats.” ⁵

“They say a certain cemí, Opiyelguobirán, had four feet like a dog and is [made] of wood, and often he comes out of the house at night and enters the forests. They go there to seek him and bring him back to the house. They bind him with cords, but he returns to the forests,” Ramón Paní, the Jeronymite friar who was sent by Columbus to study the native mythology wrote.

José Juan Arrom (1910 – 2007), a famous expert on Latin American cultural studies, “suggested that this spirit who constantly sought the woods, where the the opías or spirits of the dead dwelt, served as the daylight guardian. Greek mythology assigned a similar role to Cerberus, the three-headed dog who stood at the river crossing that marked the entrance into the realm of Pluto.”⁵

Silk Cotton Tree As The Sacred Tree Of Life

Many Caribbean tribes believe the Silk Cotton Tree is the Tree of Life created by God Makonaima and is thus sacred.

“One myth reads: “Makonaima caused a wonderful tree, bearing all good fruits, to spring from the Earth—the tree which was the origin of all cultivated plants.

The stump of this tree was filled with water, and was stocked with many kinds of fish. A number of myths hold that this tree was the silk cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) or Ite palm, and claim that Makonaima created animated beings by cutting off pieces of this tree with an ax and throwing them into the river.” ⁵

Duppies Living In The Silk Cotton Tree

In Jamaica, it is believed that cotton trees should never be cut down because they are the abode of spirits, and those who cut them down will surely die.

Some spirits appear only when it is dark. Credit: Adobe Stock -  Петр Костюк

People in Jamaica believed duppies (spirits of the dead) lived in the silk cotton tree. These beings are not to be trusted as they are well-known for various mischief. Duppies can be harmful to the living and cause a person to become ill or physically hurt. If a duppie had harmed the person, they had to get medicinal cures from a local healer. People in modern Jamaica have kept the belief in duppies as a part of their heritage, but the practices associated with these beliefs have faded with time.

People have and will always have a unique and precious connection with trees, and their welfare holds a special place in our minds and hearts.

Written by Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

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