The History Of Cigars: The Rite Of Tobacco (Cohoba)

In 1492 Christopher Columbus discovered the new world. During his first contact with the Taino Indians (indigenous tribes that inhabited the Caribbean islands), he noticed, as he described on his navigational diary #85, transcribed by Spanish historian Bartolome de las Casas, to have seen these indigenous with a “tizon” (Like a branding iron) in their hands, made of dry leaves (buncher), and wrapped in other dry leaves (Wrapper) in the shape of a musket, lit on one end, and sucking from the other end, inhaling the smoke. This object, wrote Columbus, we will name the same as the Taino called them, “Tabaco”. These leaves were given to Columbus as valuable gifts, among others, like gold, spices, exotic fruit, etc., on his return trip, to be presented to the Queen of Spain as proof that he had discovered the new world. It wasn’t until their later voyages that Spaniards discovered that the Taino Indians smoked for pleasure, but most importantly, for religious purposes. The tobacco had a powerful spiritual meaning, and through a ceremony called “The Rite of Cohoba” (The Rite of Tobacco), it played a major roll on the social and economic structure of the aboriginal Taino tribes.

 DESCRIPTION OF THE RITE OF COHOBA 

The Rite of Tobacco was a powerful, spiritual, sacred, and religious ceremony among all the Taino tribes. The BEHIKE (witch doctor) would sit on his DUJO (ancestral ceremonial seat or throne) to inhale COHIBA/COHOBA. He would smoke and inhale TOBACCO to induce a trance to achieve communication with their ancestors that resided in COABEY (Paradise) to plead for health, protection, to assign which members of the tribes would be hunting, harvesting, and even to consult about matrimonial unions, to make sure that everything was done with the approval of the ancestors. During their ritual, they used CUEY (sacred objects or semis carved out of stone or sacred wood). It has been speculated that Taino used the bioluminicence ink of the CUCUBANO (Taino indian word for a click beetle-Pyrophorus Luminosus) to paint their bodies to glow under the moon light during their religious rituals, performed mostly at night. 

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

Over the years, I have dedicated a big part of my time, visiting and sharing experiences in numerous cigar lounges around the U.S. I have noticed elements that repeat themselves, like a pattern, that are unbelievably common. Cigar lounges are frequented by a multitude of people of different backgrounds, who share their time in the same room, enjoying a cigar. These people come from different cultural, economic, religious, and educational levels. I have seen a successful lawyer, a handyman, a brain surgeon, a pizza delivery guy, a retired FBI agent, and a school teacher (quite diverse, right?) and no matter what the topic of conversation is they are always determined, far from arguing, to finding common ground between the different points of view on the subject of discussion. Always sitting back, having fun, and most importantly, relaxing. It is interesting, but I have never seen anyone smoking a cigar under stress. This general, but very common bond, among cigar smokers sharing the pleasure of smoking a premium cigar, always and inevitably reminds me of the origin and the reasons why the aboriginal Tainos saw the tobacco as the ideal element for reflection, spirituality, and peace. In conclusion, there are a few words from the Taino indian dictionary connected to the Rite of
Tobacco:   

TABACO (Tobacco)

COHIBA (Cohoba)

BEHIKE (witch doctor)

DUJO (ceremonial seat or throne)

COABEY (paradise)

CUEY (sacred object)

CUCUBANO (click beetle)

Author:  Eloy at Southern Classic Cigars
Images By: Jose Martinez

The FDA & Cigars

Here is a letter written to the FDA by several members of Congress.  In it, our representatives ask and implore the FDA to exclude cigars from the regulations which are being imposed on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. 

 

According to Glynn Loope, Executive Director of Cigar Rights of America (CRA), “this is the most over arching issue confronting this industry.”  We must not allow the onerous legislation and taxation to encroach on the premium cigar industry.  Please read the letter and sign up for the CRA Grassroots Email Network.  Its free and imperative that you participate to preserve our extraordinary industry.  

 

 

 

If we fail to act now our industry will surely perish.  Join the CRA! And fight for our rights!

Cigar Myths: Body = Strength

Body = Strength
 
Myth: The body and strength of a cigar are the same and/or related.
 
Truth: Body, in terms of flavor (taste+aroma) profile, does not necessarily correlate with the Strength of a cigar.  Strength refers to nicotine potency or the intensity of spice – two separate factors.  Body is a flavor descriptor which can refer to the depth, breadth, and richness of a tobacco (flavor).

So, a strong cigar can be medium bodied, while a full-bodied cigar can be mild or medium strength.  As an example, imagine that chicken has a mild body, while beef has a richer body, yet both can be spicy/strong, depending on how they are seasoned.

I Love Tobacconists

I feel remiss in not having written in a couple of weeks….. but I would like to follow up and say that the Tobacconist University Certified Lapel Pins finally arrived and they ARE Spectacular!!!!
 
But that is not why I am inspired to write today. I just came from a meeting of our State Retailers association. It is a unique group filled with retailers from all walks of life. Our members are Retail Tobacconists with different specialties and stores that serve very different markets. To put it mildly, it is a diverse group. I’m amazed at the diversity of opinions in our meetings. While we are all essentially in the same profession, you would think we weren’t. It is amazing to see so much disagreement and lack of consensus. But that is par for the course in the tobacco industry: cigarettes pitted against cigars, retail against mail order, etc…. We are severely fractionalized, divided, and constantly on the defensive: fighting legislators, taxation, oppression, and sometimes ourselves. Even with all of the different opinions floating around in that room, and different agendas, there are some underlying commonalities, which I admire and respect greatly.

I didn’t start writing this to complain about my fellow Tobacconists. In fact, I leave these regular meetings a little frustrated at the state of our State and Nation, but I also leave rejuvenated. I’m not rejuvenated because we came to any sound conclusions or had any great ideas. I’m invigorated because I’m reminded of why I choose to stay in this industry. Stay and fight for what I believe in; both in terms of freedoms and values. Above all, most Tobacconists I meet are GREAT people. Sometimes I think they are the only people left who actually care about the products they sell. We are Customers, first and foremost. And we are committed to what we love, no matter the challenges, because our passion is undeniable.
 
I can’t think of any other profession facing so many obstacles. Yet I have never seen so many fine people so committed to fighting the good fight and doing the right thing. Sure I’m biased, but that doesn’t change the fact that I Love Tobacconists… and you should too. Don’t let this part of our culture, this venerable profession, die. Support your local Retail Tobacconist, and tell your friends to do so as well. I would argue that nobody works harder to satisfy their customers, than Retail Tobacconists…. and I promise you, they aren’t doing it just for the money.

Jorge Armenteros, CMT

The Dose Makes The Poison

Perhaps it is my life’s mission to bring some credibility back to luxury tobacco, and help separate this civilized, natural pursuit from nicotine delivery systems (chemically enhanced cigarettes). The physiology of nicotine absorption is the key to understanding why cigarettes are addictive and cigars and pipe tobaccos are not. As with so many of the things we consume in a healthy manner, the dose is what makes the poison. Extremely high levels of almost any substance will hurt us. With nicotine, the quantity that is absorbed by the body, and the frequency at which we absorb it, determines whether or not it is addictive. Cigarettes are generally made from light tobaccos which are easily inhaled. Cigarette smoke, and all of the chemicals and carcinogens that come with it, are easily absorbed by the lungs. Cigar and Pipe smoke is not inhaled, and therefore the nicotine that is absorbed throughout the mouth is far less than with cigarettes. This is the fundamental reason why Cigar and Pipe smokers do not suffer from addiction like cigarette smokers. In addition, premium cigars and pipe tobaccos do not contain the chemicals and additives which are common in commercial cigarettes. Ultimately, the time you take to savor a quality cigar or pipe tobacco is the real reward, not the ingestion of small amounts of nicotine.

Jorge Armenteros, CMT