Traditional Knowledge: While Known as the Cuban brown curlytail in English, in Cuba they are colloquially known as 𝘉𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘺𝘢, a name that originally came from the Indigenous Siboney Taíno. Lizards such as the 𝘉𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘺𝘢 played various roles in Taíno culture acting as both food and characters in stories. In the Creation story, one lizard named Macoel guarded the entrance to the cave from which the first humans emerged. His name Macoel meant; “he with the eyes that would not blink” in reference to his vigilance. He was also able to perfectly camouflage with the cave walls which helped him guard the cave. Despite this, one evening, Macoel had neglected his duties during which the first people emerged. His neglect caused the sun to turn him into stone. This story, among others, is preserved in Pictographs that adorn cave walls across the Caribbean (Keegan, Carlson, 2008).
Sources:
"Cuban Curlytail Lizard." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, www.fws.gov/species/cuban-curlytail-lizard-leiocephalus-cubensis. Accessed 19 Aug. 2022. Keegan, William F., and Lisabeth A. Carlson. "Talking Tiano: Caribbean Natural History from a Native Perspective." Google Books, The University of Alabama Press, 2008, books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Qy8LESKyJS0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=%22macoel%22+keegan&ots=RurU5XxJ1m&sig=WvnAkyuik_Ez9yIVJrhoLSHHpGQ#v=onepage&q=%22macoel%22%20keegan&f=false. Accessed 19 Aug. 2022. |