cemí

A cemí, also spelled cemi or zemi, is a spiritual entity or concept believed in by the Taíno people, the indigenous inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. These entities were not only deities but also encompassed ancestral spirits, natural phenomena, and even certain ailments. Cemís were seen as embodying the life force or essence of whatever they represented.

The Taíno expressed their connection to cemís through various forms of art and ritual. Objects were crafted to represent cemís, serving as physical manifestations or focal points for veneration and communication. These objects could be made from stone, wood, shell, bone, or clay, and were often elaborately carved and decorated. Common forms included human-like figures, animal representations, and abstract shapes.

These cemí objects were not worshiped as gods themselves, but rather as intermediaries or receptacles for the spiritual power of the entity they represented. They played a crucial role in Taíno religious practices, ceremonies, and daily life, assisting in healing, divination, and ensuring the fertility of the land and the well-being of the community. The concept of the cemí highlights the Taíno worldview, which saw the spiritual and physical realms as deeply interconnected.