Word of the Week - CEMI

TAINO WORD OF THE WEEK - CEMI

A Cemi is a deity or ancestral spirit, and a
sculptural object housing the spirit, among the Taíno people of the Caribbean.

Scholars believe that the cemi’s shape was
inspired by the Tres Picachos (Three Peaks) mountain, which the Taíno’s held
sacred. The central point represents a mountain peak—home to Yaya, the Creator.
The mouth-like point represents Coabey, the land of the dead. The final point
represents the land of the living.

When visiting Puerto Rico make sure to stop by
and visit the Cemis of Taino Culture Statue Museos Casa Canales y El Cemi
6C5Q+R9V, Coabey, Jayuya 00664, Puerto Rico

The Cemi Museum in Jayuya is a visitor center
for the area and a showcase of Taino artifacts. Archaeological digs and large
rocks with shapes carved into them (petroglyphs) prove that pre-Columbian
cultures lived in this area. The leaders of Jayuya wanted to preserve and
educate about the Taino culture, so they opened this odd-shaped museum in 1989.