photo: ceiba

On a brief afternoon walk we came upon this Ceiba Tree – sacred in the Cuban santeria religion – a mixture of Native American, Catholic and African Yoruba religions.

At the base of the tree were many offerings – including a dead chicken, flowers, and what would otherwise and in another context appear to be trash. Perhaps it was, and just happened to be at the base of the Ceiba Tree. But at the base of this stone staircase, all that was evident was the Ceiba Tree, framed, as it were, by the rising steps.

ceiba,     Matanzas, Cuba
© erin dunigan 2012