Atabey
Arawak mythology is one full of great mystery due to the fact that a lot of the information gathered about their mythology has been “lost”. It is thanks to Fray Ramon Pane’s work (what was able to be found as most of his work is incomplete), a Spanish chronicler assigned to learn about the Tainos’ religious beliefs by Christopher Columbus, that there some is information available for us to go by. I hope you enjoy as much as I have this wonderful, magical world of the Antilles just waiting to be discovered!
Blogs dedicated to Taino mythology will be in both Spanish and English.
WHO IS ATABEY?
It may be that Atabey comes from Itiba Cahubaba, a primary ancestor spirit among those respected deities the Taíno call cemí, meaning fresh water or spring; thus, she is the mother of the waters, the mother of the fatherless god Yucahu-Bagua-Maorocote! The cemis have different names that invoke specific needs. For example, when invoking Atabey as "Apito" she is called "the omnipotent"; if we are going to relate it to the flow of the tides and menstruation, she is called "Yermao". But, for the Taino Atabey has a much more important meaning. For the woman, giving birth without pain when the sacred image was passed over the womb, symbolized freeing the woman from an ancestral curse that weighs on the mother of the human race which says, "with painful labor you will give birth to children." For man, she was the mother, the teacher, who taught them the mysteries of the unknown.
Atabey taught her people how to communicate with the gods and receive answers to their prayers, using the secret instrument that Atabey gave to the Tainos, the maraca. The religious ceremonies were the door that opened the magic and the way to propitiate the favor of the spirits that dominate the natural forces of the beyond, they were the sonorous soul of the Antilles, Atabey’s being the most rhythmic.
She taught her people to simply respect themselves by not planting in their souls the feeling of guilt from the stigma of being as they are! It frees humans from that eternal punishment, which other religions know as “original sin”, and makes them feel that justice is only different from happiness that is equitable for all!
Atabey is spiritual wisdom, intelligence, and love! Although, when need be, she too can be the cause of all destruction, presenting herself as Guabancex! The creator and the destroyer! The world of Taino mythology has opened a new door, helping me connect the dots to a world of ancient knowledge once lost, but never forgotten. What else do the Taino gods have to teach us about the unknown? Let’s find out!
Quien es Atabey?
Puede ser que Atabey provenga de Itiba Cahubaba, la mítica antecesora esotérica de la etnia aruaca, significandose agua dulce o Manantial; asi, ella es madre de las aguas, madre luna, la madre del ser sin padre Yucahu-Bagua-Maorocote! Los cemis poseen diferentes nombres que invocan cosas en particular. Por ejemplo, al invocar a Atabey como “Apito” se le dice “la omnipotente”; si la vamos a relacionar con el flujo de las mareas y la menstruacion, se le llama “Yermao”. Pero, para los Tainos Atabey tiene un significado mucho mas importante. Para la mujer, parir sin dolor cuando la imagen sagrada era pasada sobre el vientre, simbolizaba liberar a la mujer de una maldicion ancestral que pesa sobre la madre del genero humano y que reza “pariras con dolor.” Para el hombre, era la madre, la maestra, que les enseno los misterios de lo desconocido.
Atabey fue quien, con sus ensenanzas logro que los hombres se comunicaran con los dioses y recibieran respuestas a sus ruegos, utilizando el instrumento secreto que Atabey le entrego a su pueblo, la maraca. Los ritos fueron la puerta que abria la magia y el camino para propiciar el favor de los espiritus que dominan las fuerzas del mas alla, los areitos eran el alma sonora de las Antillas, y los dedicados areitos a Atabey eran los mas ritmicos.
Las maracas originalmente provienen del Caribe.
La ensenansas atravez de los areitos muestran que el sonido es determinante en la vida del ser humano. Atabey no solo aleja el temor y terror del corazon a su pueblo, sino que los hace respetarse a si mismos al no sembar en sus almas el sentimiento de culpa a partir del estigma de ser como son! Los libera de ese eterno castigo, que otras religiones conocen como “pecado original”, y les hace sentir que justicia solo se diferencia de la felicidad que es equitativa para todos!
Ella es sabiduria espiritual, inteligencia y amor! Aunque, cuando es necesario, ella también puede ser la causa de toda destrucción, presentándose como Guabancex. ¡La creadora y la destructora! El mundo de la mitología taína me ha abierto una nueva puerta, ayudándome a conectar los puntos de un mundo de conocimiento antiguo, una vez perdido, pero jamás olvidado. ¿Qué más nos enseñan los dioses taínos sobre lo desconocido? ¡Descubrámoslo!
