The Cockroach Manuscript
Sumi Ink, metal leaf, and watercolor on paper, 17" X 22"
Hilda Zulueta, December 20, 2007, Perico, Cuba.
This manuscript contains an excerpt from an interview with Hilda Zulueta talking about the deity Oddu Aremu. She said she used to know a song for Oddu, but it was written in a notebook that had been eaten by cockroaches. We were able to find a song for Oddu Aremu elsewhere, and it appears on the right side of the manuscript in brown ink. The damaged notebook occupies the center of the manuscript in order to make the point that precious Arar谩 religious traditions are quickly disappearing. (Perico is one of the few places in Cuba where Arar谩 is still practiced.) Justo is pictured emerging from the lagoon with the herb given to him by Oddu Aremu. A plaque that hangs on the wall at Sociedad Africana today is shown in the upper right of the manuscript. It reads "Casa Templo Arar谩 Para Mantener las Tradiciones Africanas". (House of the Temple of Arar谩 for the Conservation of African Traditions.)
Hilda: dicen que en un barco cuando trajeron a los africanos de esclavos para ac谩 para Cuba porque a ellos los traen de esclavos, entonces ellos trajeron sus santos todos.Si cada uno trajo su santico y ah铆 los viejos fundaron la fundaci贸n que tenemos nosotros. F铆jate que en Espa帽a que yo nunca he ido, pero mis mayores si hay una laguna que le dicen el ojo de agua donde鈥e ah铆 de esa laguna nace el santo de mi abuelo, el Obatal谩 de Justo mi abuelo, Oddu Aremu.Una vez no s茅 por circunstancias de la vida, Odu dijo que se iba pa' Africa y entonces yo estaba muy chiquita seg煤n me contaba mi abuela, mis t铆as y mi mam谩 y dicen que se fue para el ojo de agua y ya el agua d谩ndole aqu铆 (por el cuello). Entonces tiraron mucha tela blanca desde el ojo de agua hasta el central Espa帽a para que tuviera que virar Odu a la tierra, pero 茅l se iba para Africa. Y el canto yo lo ten铆a hasta escrito en una libreta que la libreta las cucarachas se la comieron y entonces tuvieron que estar cantando y tirando hierba y tirando hierba desde el ojo de agua hasta que 茅l fue saliendo, fue saliendo, fue saliendo hasta que lleg贸 al central. Dice la gente que si all谩 van a llevar cosas, yo si nunca he ido porque tengo miedo como la ceiba aquella, as铆 como la Ceiba aquella, est谩s loco esos lugares as铆 yo no鈥�
Cancion a Oddu Aremu:
Oddu Aremu filillo, Odduaremu felona, arapopo, erise ello, odduaremu felona, arapopo erise ello oduaremu felona. Baba mi yoco, oduaremu felona. Baba mi yoco, oduaremu felona. Ello, ello ayenbeleto, toi to, ello, ello ayenbeleto, toi to, ello, ello ayenbeleto, toi to.
Note: We were not given an exact translation for this song.
Hilda: They say that when they brought the Africans to Cuba in a slave ship, because they brought them as slaves, that is when they brought all of their saints. Each person brought their little saint, and that is how the elders created the foundation that we have now. Think about it, in Espa帽a (the sugar refinery), although I have never been there, according to my elders, there is a lagoon that they call "el ojo de agua", where from there, from that lagoon my grandfather's saint appeared, the Obatala of Justo, my grandfathers Oddu Aremu. One time, I don't know due to what life circumstances, Oddu said he was going back to Africa. I was really small then, and according to what my grandmother, my aunts, and my mother told me, he (Justo) went to the "ojo de agua", and the water took him by the neck. Then they threw down a lot of white cloth from the lagoon to Central Espa帽a (the refinery) so Oddu would turn around and return to land, but he was on his way to Africa. I had a song for it written in a notebook, but the cockroaches have eaten it. They had to sing and throw herbs, and throw herbs from the lagoon until he began to emerge. He was making his way, making his way, until he arrived at the refinery. People say they bring offerings there, but I have never gone, because I am afraid, just like I am afraid of that Ceiba tree, that Ceiba tree. Are you crazy? Go to those places?鈥� not me.