The island of Cuba vibrates with a spiritual energy that is impossible to ignore. It is a land where Catholicism blends seamlessly with the African rhythms of Santería (Regla de Ocha), creating a unique tapestry of faith. Locals often say that the island is home to approximately 350 distinct superstitions, governing everything from how one sweeps the floor to how the New Year is welcomed. Whether in the bustling streets of Havana or the quiet countryside of Viñales, these unwritten rules—known locally as creencias or bilongo—dictate daily life. From the protective power of the Orishas to the omens hidden in a glass of water, this list explores the mystical “manual” of Cuban existence.
Household & Daily Life
The Purse on the Floor
Never place your handbag or wallet on the ground. Cubans believe your money will run away or disappear as quickly as it came.
Sweeping Feet
If a broom touches a single woman’s feet while sweeping, she is destined to remain a solterona (spinster) and will never marry.
Rocking the Empty Chair
Leaving a rocking chair moving while empty is an invitation for spirits to come and sit in it. Stop it immediately.
Aloe Behind the Door
A stalk of sábila (aloe vera) tied with a red ribbon behind the main door absorbs bad vibes. If it rots, it died protecting you; if it thrives, luck is present.
Passing the Salt
Never hand a salt shaker directly to someone. Place it on the table first, or you risk breaking the friendship.
Feet Toward the Street
Never position your bed so your feet face the door. This is the position of the dead when carried out in a coffin.
Itchy Palms
If your left hand itches, money is coming. If the right one itches, you will pay money out. Scratch the left on wood to lock the luck.
Falling Cutlery
A falling spoon signals a female visitor; a falling fork signals a male. A falling knife means an argument or a police officer is coming.
Umbrellas Indoors
Opening an umbrella inside the house is a sure way to invite years of bad luck or household storms.
El Pasmo
Opening the refrigerator or ironing immediately after coming from the street heat can cause facial paralysis or twisting of the mouth.
Night Sweeping
Sweeping the floor at night is forbidden; you are sweeping away your fortune and blessings.
Glass of Water
Placing a clear glass of water high up or behind a door captures negative energy. When it gets bubbly/cloudy, change it.
Hat on the Bed
Throwing a hat onto a bed is a serious omen of trouble or bad luck for the owner of the hat.
Wet Hair
Sleeping with wet hair will not just make you cold; elders insist it will rot your brain or cause chronic sinus issues.
Crooked Pictures
A wall picture hanging crookedly, or falling without reason, foretells a calamity or death in the family.
Spiritual Protection & Santería
The Red Ribbon
Parents pin a red ribbon or jet stone (azabache) on babies to ward off the Mal de Ojo (Evil Eye).
Elegguá
Many homes have a small concrete head or coconut behind the door. This is Elegguá, the owner of roads, protecting the home’s entry.
Rolling the Coconut
To cleanse a house of dark energy, kick a dry coconut through the entire house from back to front, then smash it at a crossroads.
Cascarilla
Powdered eggshell (cascarilla) is blown in corners or used to draw crosses on soles of feet for protection against spirits.
Oshún’s Pumpkin
If you are a child of Oshún (goddess of love/rivers), you must never eat pumpkin (calabaza), as it is her sacred gourd.
Knock on Wood
Upon mentioning a potential tragedy, one must immediately knock on wood and say “Lagarto, lagarto” or “Toca madera.”
Cigar Smoke
Blowing cigar smoke over a person or an altar is a form of limpieza (cleansing) to remove negative attachments.
Rum for the Saints
Before drinking rum, it is customary to spill a few drops on the floor “for the saints” or the ancestors (para los muertos).
White Clothes
If you see someone dressed entirely in white from head to toe (an Iyawo), they are being initiated into Santería. Do not touch them.
The Ceiba Tree
The Ceiba is sacred. Never disrespect it, and avoid walking under it late at night, as powerful spirits reside there.
Thunderstones
Black stones found after lightning strikes (piedras de rayo) belong to Changó and are powerful protective amulets.
Offerings at Crossroads
If you see a paper bag, candy, or coins at a four-way intersection, do not step on it. It is an offering (Ebbó) to remove sickness.
Body, Love & Omens
Ringing Ears
If your ear rings, someone is talking about you. Bite your tongue immediately so the gossiper bites theirs.
Hiccups
To cure hiccups in a baby, place a small piece of wet thread or paper on their forehead.
Rain on Wedding Day
While some see it as bad, many Cubans believe rain on your wedding day signifies fertility and good luck.
Pearls and Tears
A bride should never wear pearls. They symbolize tears and foretell a marriage full of sadness.
Simultaneous Words
If two people say the same word at the exact same time, someone must pinch the other to avoid a fight.
Haircut Cycles
Only cut hair during the Crescent Moon (Luna Creciente) if you want it to grow fast and healthy.
Kissing Feet
Never kiss a baby on the feet, or they will grow up to walk away from you (or be delayed in walking).
Playing with Fire
Children who play with fire or matches are told they will wet the bed that night.
Measuring Height
Do not measure a child while they are lying down (like a corpse), or you will stunt their growth.
Stye Cure
To cure a stye in the eye, rub a gold ring on it, or have someone place their saliva on it in the morning.
Crossing Legs
If your foot shakes while legs are crossed, you are shaking away your parent’s health or wealth.
Sewing on the Body
Never sew a button or rip while wearing the clothes. If you must, hold a piece of thread in your mouth to preserve your memory.
Dropping Medicine
If you drop a pill on the floor, throw it away. The “saints” knocked it down because you didn’t need it or it was bad for you.
The Big New Year (Nochevieja)
El Cubazo (Bucket of Water)
At midnight, Cubans throw a bucket of dirty water out the door or window to throw out the old year’s bad energy.
La Maleta (The Suitcase)
Want to travel? Walk around the block with an empty suitcase right after midnight on New Year’s Eve.
12 Grapes
Eat 12 grapes in the last 12 seconds of the year—one for each month of luck. If a grape is sour, that month will be tough.
Burning the Doll
In some rural areas, a doll (El Monigote) representing the Old Year is burned to destroy the past year’s troubles.
Red Underwear
Wear red underwear on New Year’s Eve to attract love and passion in the coming year.
Yellow Underwear
Wear yellow underwear inside out if you want to attract money and prosperity.
Money in Shoe
Place a coin or bill inside your shoe during the New Year countdown to ensure you walk towards wealth.
Lentils
Eating a spoonful of lentils just as the year turns guarantees food and abundance for the household.
Clean House
The house must be spotless before midnight. A dirty house invites a messy, chaotic year.
Candle Wishes
Light candles of different colors (Green for health, Red for love, Yellow for money) to set intentions for the year.
Nature & Animals
The Owl (Lechuza)
If an owl flies over your house or screeches at night, it announces a death. You must insult it loudly to drive the omen away.
Black Butterfly
A large black moth (Tatagua) entering the home is a sign of mourning or bad news arriving soon.
Green Cricket
Finding a green cricket (esperanza) inside the house is a sign of good luck or money. Do not kill it.
Rooster at Noon
A rooster crowing in the middle of the day or at midnight signals a change in weather or a disturbance in the spiritual realm.
Sun Showers
If it rains while the sun is shining, locals say “The Devil’s daughter is getting married” or “A witch is marrying.”
Howling Dogs
A dog howling persistently at night is seeing a spirit or death passing by the neighborhood.
Lizards
Never kill the small house lizards; they eat the bugs and are considered guardians of the home.
First May Rain
The first rain of May (El aguacero de Mayo) is magical. Wash your face in it to stay young and beautiful.
Good Friday Swim
An old legend warns against swimming in the river or sea on Good Friday, or you might turn into a fish (or mermaid).
Bees in the House
A bee flying into your home brings news. If you kill it, you kill the luck it brought.
Miscellaneous & Folk Wisdom
Washing Hair During Menstruation
Many grandmothers forbid washing hair during a period, claiming it stops the flow or causes a stroke.
Broken Glass
If a glass breaks spontaneously, it has taken a “hit” of bad energy for you. Do not mourn the object.
Taking Out Trash
Never take the garbage out after dark. You are essentially throwing away your prosperity.
Spilling Coffee
While spilling salt is bad, spilling coffee is often seen as a sign of money or abundance coming.
Open Scissors
Leaving scissors open on a table cuts the energy of the house and causes arguments. Close them immediately.
Pointing at Stars
Do not point your finger at the stars, or warts will grow on your fingers.
Under the Ladder
Like many cultures, walking under a ladder is bad luck, but in Cuba, you must cross your fingers if you do it accidentally.
Wedding Ring Drop
If the groom drops the ring during the ceremony, the marriage is doomed to fail.
Upside Down Bread
Never place a loaf of bread upside down on the table; it is an insult to God and brings hunger.
Walking Backwards
Walking backwards shows the devil the way to you. Avoid doing it, even when dancing.
Mirror and Baby
Do not let a baby under one year old look in a mirror, or they will have a delay in learning to speak.
Tuesday the 13th
In Cuba (and Spain), the unlucky day is Tuesday the 13th, not Friday. “Don’t marry, don’t embark (travel), don’t leave your family.”
Toasting with Water
Never toast with a glass of water. It is considered bad luck and implies you are wishing death upon those you toast.
Shoes on Table
Placing shoes on a table, even if new in the box, forecasts a time of poverty and hunger.
13 at the Table
Having exactly 13 people seated at a dining table means one of them will die within the year (a reference to the Last Supper).
Sneezing
If you sneeze, someone is thinking of you. If you sneeze three times, you will have a cold (or a lover is very faithful).
Washing Floors Outward
Always mop from the inside of the house towards the street to push out the bad energy. Never mop inward.
Cactus Indoors
While protective outside, some believe a cactus inside the house promotes prickly arguments and tension.
Getting up Left
To “get up on the left foot” means to have a bad day. Always place your right foot on the floor first.
Resguardos
Many Cubans carry a small bag or “resguardo” (amulet) prepared by a Santero in their pocket for constant protection.
Academic & Cultural Resources on Cuban Traditions
- EcuRed — Superstición en Cuba — The “Cuban Encyclopedia,” providing a semi-official overview of local beliefs and cultural history.
- Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage — Scholarly articles on Santería and the spiritual systems that influence Cuban daily life.
- University of Miami — Cuban Heritage Collection — One of the largest repositories of Cuban historical and cultural documents outside the island.
- Culture of Cuba — Wikipedia — An extensive overview of the syncretism and traditions that form the basis of Cuban folklore.
- UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean — Information on the intangible cultural heritage of the Caribbean region.