It’s safe to say, superstitions are everywhere. Like it or not, every culture tends to abide by their own unique (often whacky!) beliefs around luck in one way or another.
In the US, step on a crack in the pavement and prepare to give your mother a nasty spinal fracture. You may laugh, but remember the feeling of doom when you last smashed a mirror? That’s 7 years in the bad-luck slammer for us Brits.
Go to Egypt, and it’s bad luck to open and close scissors without cutting something with them. In India, it’s unlucky to sleep with your head facing north. And if you cross the Irish sea? Well, let’s not even get started on Ireland.
It might be the birthplace of four-leaf clovers and the luck o’ the Irish, but there are plenty of ways to ‘catch’ a bit of bad luck on the Emerald Isle – including asking a man who’s going fishing where he’s going fishing. Hmmm.
But what about our favourite Caribbean island? Well, let’s just say that Cuba is pretty big on superstitions. That’s why, in honour of St Patrick’s Day, we’re proving that the Cubans are just as superstitious as the Irish, and taking a look at some of the strangest ways to get lucky in Cuba!
Never take seashells from the sea shore
With Cuba’s 3,500 miles of coastline, it’d be fair to think that the place is ripe for collecting sea shells. Right?
Well, not exactly. Taking seashells from a beach is the quickest way to give yourself some mala suerte (bad luck). Now, we don’t know exactly why, but isn’t that the whole point of superstitions?
Azabaches
Cubans start their lives wearing an ‘azabache’. An azabache is an onyx gemstone, generally worn on a bracelet or necklace, that is believed to protect people from Mal De Ojo (the Evil Eye), a widespread superstition in Latin culture.
Cubans believe that it’s the only thing that can protect from jealousy, and all sorts of untold calamities brought on by strangers glancing sideways at you as they pass by.
Anyone tries to give your baby side eyes in Cuba? BAM! The azabache’s black stone has the power to defend the wearer from harm. Basically, Cuban parents don’t take any risks and accessorise their babies with funky jewellery… Just in case!
Purse on the floor? You’re gon’ be poor
As far as Cubans are concerned, the quickest way to become penniless is to put your purse or handbag on the floor. Whether it’s true or not, we’re not going to take our chances.
Rock a-bye baby
Rocking chairs are kind of a big deal in Cuba. They’re in every household, most cafés and even in football stadiums.
So considering Cubans love their rocking chairs, it’s a little surprising they have such a distrust of them. In Latin culture, if you get up from a rocking chair and it continues to move, they believe there’s a good chance the youngest member of the family will die. Please, stop those chairs!
Light ‘em up
Now, there may be some instances where you forget to wear your azabache, you’ve taken buckets of seashells back to your house, the rocking chair won’t stop moving and you don’t even KNOW where your purse is but you’re sure it’s on the floor somewhere.
Fear not. Simply burn off some of that bad juju by lighting a few candles. Seriously, lighting candles is believed to have powerful effects in Latin culture. So much so, we’re going to light a few right now. Just as a precaution.
If you’re working out how much bad luck you’ve accumulated over the years, it’s probably time to get down to Friday Fiesta for some feel-good times from us. With amazing live music, spectacular entertainment and the best tropical food and drink around… It’s the fastest way to secure good fortune for your fin de semana!
Book a table today and we’ll bring the lucky Cuban vibes ALL night amigos!
