Dabeiba Katio

When the world was still young, a beautiful woman named Dabeiba lived among the Katio from the beginning of time and devoted herself for many years to teaching all things to her people.

She took the vines and the leaves with her delicate hands and weaved the baskets, the mats, the carpets, the chinas (fans) to kindle the fire; she patiently watched how the men learned and corrected them when they got it wrong, until the fabrics were done right.

She took the clay, mixed it with water and made containers, plates, pots and many other things; thus the potters knew his craft.

Dabeiba, the beautiful daughter of Karagabí, Lord of Heaven, never tired of teaching. She showed the Katio how to paint the body and choose the colors: the red of the achiote, the yellow of the pineapple, the jet of the jagua. With the stem of eighto, she taught them to dye their teeth. It also imposed the flavor of certain plants, such as the bitterness of cocoa and the bittersweet bitterness of mamoncillo (quenettier).

When she was sure that people knew how to paint their bodies, remove colors from plants and recognize the flavor of certain foods, she taught them how to plant and harvest cassava and maize. After much effort, the Indians learned everything, and Dabeiba's job was done.

When Karagabí saw that his work was done, he called her to join him in heaven. One day, at dawn, Dabeiba climbed Cerro León and from the top rose slowly to return to his father's bosom. Despite the fact that it was very early, the fog was rising over the ravines, the thunder and the onset of rain, some Indians saw it rising and rising until it was lost among the clouds, above from the treetops. From heaven, in order for the Indians to remember her and be good, she sends them thunder, earthquakes and storms. This is why Dabeiba is said to be the goddess of storms.