Medicinal and Spiritual Plantas!

The Tobacco and Sage Garden is a very beautiful and aromatic garden.  Its shape is the Taino symbol for Fire, to represent the transformation from Physical to Spirit that occurs when tobacco and sage are burnt.  The tobacco is in the outer circle, the sage in the middle circle and various plants which change year to year are in the center.  We also allow a patch of "sweet annie" (artemisia) to grow in the outer circle.  

We began growing tobacco and white sage with excellent results several years ago out of a need from the Spirit of the Land to have tobacco and sage growing, and out of need to have these herbs readily available to use in Ceremony.  We grow sufficient tobacco and sage to not need to purchase these pricey items.  We also know that our tobacco and sage are grown organically and in a good energy!

In this post we also show several of the Medicinal Plants that are in a garden that incircles the Purification Lodge.

Tobacco is an amazing plant with many varieties, some small growing, some tall growing.  It is very heavily scented as is the sage.  Merely touching the plants transfers oils to one's hand and delivers a powerful smell.  The leaves are slightly sticky.

Tobacco is fairly easy to grow, its tiny seeds grow on the top of the soil that must be kept moist.   White sage is more difficult due to a low germination rate.  

Both the Tobacco and sage grow well on the Land.  They seem to like the soil, which has a lot of limestone.  

Before the frost we will harvest the sage and tobacco into bundles, and they will dry hanging from a ceiling.

Very beautiful Tobacco flowers, they become seed pods filled with seeds later.

The following photos show various medicinal and culinary herbs that are planted around the Purification Lodge.

Cuban Oregano (tropical) on the left, Basil on the right.

Basil

Pineapple Basil

Lavender

Rosemary

Feverfew (Headache Medicine)

Pineapple Mint

Oregano

Rue

Kiako Kiako

Learning is a process that occurs in all situations, especially with Children whose minds are constantly absorbing everything around them.  They learn naturally in a holistic way that the "educated" adult may find difficult to understand.  In this vibration today the Children are constantly bombarded with information, images, and endless sales pitches which they absorb readily.  Their attraction to color, texture, and music is exploited to raise them as consumers.  As Tainos and Paleros it is vital to bring holistic experiences to the Children so that "Mother Earth" can speak to them and they can explore the natural world.  We include Anani in virtually everything that goes on, with some exceptions.  She accompanies us on the various Caminos, and when we go into the forest to find soils or go to the River to talk to Chola Wengue.  In the following photos you can see her exploring the forest and picking up her own soils, looking at the different types of soil, plants, trees, and absorbing learning and wisdom as she moves.

Movement In The Sky! (Click on photos to enlarge!)

Taino Myths and Legends (A note on interpretations)

This coming Winter we are looking forward to continuing to bring forth the Koki Medicine Clan's interpretations of the Taino Myths and Legends.  For us this is a vital contribution, no less because of the multiple interpretations rampant on the internet which do not give justice to the true understandings of Ancient Taino.  As readers can easily surmise, we embrace the understandings that Indigenous Tradition is rooted in Agricultural Practices, Seasonal Changes (Calendar), Cosmic Events, Life Cycles and Patterns, and Spiritual Understanding of the Spiritual-Physical Entity that is Earth and "her" Universe!  We do not condone corrupting Indigenous Spiritual Understanding to fit poorly disguised Christian Dogma and Christian Myths.  Unfortunately there has been a widespread corruption of Indigenous Tradition by both Caucasians and (more devastating and heartbreaking) by certain Indigenous People themselves.  Most likely this is due to an inferiority complex where by certain Indigenous People still suffer under the illusion that Christianity is somehow superior to Indigenous Tradition and consciously or subconsciously seek to distort Indigenous Teachings into Christian formats.

The note below has been published by us with the Interpretations that we have brought forth over the last several years.

 "These interpretations are the current interpretations of the Koki Medicine Clan.  Any other interpretations that may be published on other sites on the internet under the name "Ni Bon Te Ban" are no longer held to be valid in whole because they were written under a false assumption that the version of the Myths and Legends that they were interpreting was accurate.  In time it came to light that the version of Myths and Legends that I had interpreted was largely a fantasy created by an individual and was not historically or culturally accurate in terms of the genuine Taino Myths and Legends.  This  current interpretation uses the various translations of ramon pane's transcription of the Taino Myths and Legends as told to him by the Ancestors."

This unfortunate circumstance came about through a history that is little spoken of in the Taino Resurgence Community, and sadly there was a lack of integrity on the part of key members of the Community who chose to go along with what they realized was a fantasy brought about by a certain individual rather than seek to uncover true Taino Spirituality.  These members of the Community fed these false understandings to the larger community as "authentic ancient Taino tradition", and at the time, who were we (searching for our Taino Root and engrossed in romanticism to a great extent) to know any better, having come newly to the Taino Resurgence?  Never in our wildest imaginings did we think that our "leaders" would consciously feed us misinformation and down right fantasies.  

It has been a hard fought battle to uncover the truth because of the years of deception and the number of trusted leaders who endorsed that deception.  Wisdom cannot always be counted in years, but must also be found within the Integrity of those years.  Sadly and to the detriment of the movement as a whole, those leaders lacked both wisdom and integrity and instead made selfish choices.  They invested so much time 'living the lie' in order to hold onto "power" within an totally disempowered non-foundation, that when the moments of truth and challenge arrived they preferred silence, covert attacks, character assassinations and wild accusations of ignorance and agendas, rather than choosing to let the Truth Come Out!  As one kasike (who will remain unnamed) told me in a one on one conversation when we were discussing the false practices, "but what else do I have?  Isn't it better than nothing?"  A sad statement of how empty handed the original 'leaders' of the resurgence left those who they "handed the staff to".  This individual sadly had nothing to fall back on and did not seek the power internally to uncover a vibrant Taino Tradition!

Ironically this power struggle which has continued unabated with little regard for truth and integrity is for a perceived power only.  It is a battle for public perception, not for a Spiritual Foundation!    When a community as a whole lacks a Sustainable Economic Foundation, lacks a Sustainable, Creative and Spiritual Process of Education, and lacks true Community, then the power that is being grasped at is not real.  Thus, while the power struggle rages, very little true Action or Contribution is taking place.  As we all know, public perception and popularity ebbs and flows like the Ocean and lacks the True Self-Identity that builds foundations and continues on the Foundations built by the Ancestors!

We are looking forward to the continuation of bringing forth the interpretations of the Taino Legends from the Perspective of the Koki Medicine Clan.  

There is a drawing below which speaks of the process of moving out of romanticizing spiritual traditions, moving out of mental incarceration and into Empowerment!  There is no "plateau" of knowledge and wisdom that we reach in life, after which we never develop our understanding further.  Those that refuse to adapt to evidence, facts and new understandings and new discoveries (or uncoveries!) are truly stagnated and incarcerated.  Life itself is a Spiritual Process of Learning, Discovery, Connection and the Transformation of One's Mental Body!