Fern Symbols in a Trinidad Religion

Abstract

In the northeast corner of the island of Trinidad, near the town of Matura on the Toco road, I met the and was introduced to the symbolic use of the climbing fern, Lygodium micans, in a local religion. About five miles outside of Matura I slowed my jeep to observe a series of roadside crosses, religious signs, and finally a small house built up from the ground on stilts, the whole house covered with unusual metallic crosses and peculiar tangles of vines, obviously all man-made with considerable care. Since no one was in sight, I drove on slowly, observing the rich vegetation of the Mora forests crowding the highway. A short distance along the Toco road I saw the prophet walking along the roadside. My curiosity prompted me to halt the jeep and the next half hour was spent in conversation with this man of unusual dress and interesting philosophy. The prophet wore a dark blue cloak of heavy felt which he called his uniform. Adorning the blue felt was a white belt from which hung a carved dagger-like instrument. Over his chest was a series of white crosses, coin medallions, religious pictures, and even his own photograph taken by an earlier tourist. All these hung from aluminum painted safety pins. Down the back of his