Posted 5 years ago
steviej
(38 items)
This seems like a Native American piece. I am not sure what the use of it is. If you know , it would be interesting to learn more about it. It is about 12 inches long. I also am not sure if it is ceremonial or not.
I saw these being used, and bought one as a souvenir, in Egypt. Shopkeepers did not have fly swatters as we know them. Instead, they had a handle with a horse’s tail attached which they used just as the horse would have done to swish around when flies were bothersome. The flies were not killed, but were just momentarily scared away.
Well I will add what I have actually seen also. In Cuba and now in America, especially here in Florida where there is a large Cuban population, many of them practice a religion called Casa De Santos, House of the saints. It is rather unusual to watch and they use this type thing to chase away evil spirits. They also hold a live rooster upside down by the feet and shake it as they walk around. I never did get the meaning of that. It is certainly a ritual to watch.