El Cadejo Part 4

  El Cadejo are spirits that follow travelers, one black and one white. They look like dogs.  The black one is perceived as harmful.  The white one is perceived as a protector.  In a previous article I implied that the difference between me speaking Spanish rather than English could well be down to who got off the ship at what port of call.  In the last article, I wrote of particular ship voyages, the Diana and the Vigilantie, implying how families were separated over Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the U.S. 

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My great grandmother was born a slave.  She lived to be over 110 years old.  I was not old enough to remember her.  Most of my older brothers and sisters remember her well.  She may not have been too far removed from parents who suffered under the international slave trade.  This puts another spin on "He can pass."  A family relationship to Central or South America may not be as distant as one would think.  

This brings me back to the party and the well meaning but potentially problematic comment, “He can pass.” 

What of the El Cadejo lurking around thoughts of skin color?  Well, there were stronger spirits in the room, the spirits of hospitality, respect, and warmth projecting from the hosts.  That set the tone of how I approached others and how they approached me.  It turned the entire situation to something that connected us - brought us closer instead of something that segregated us.