Twenty five years ago the scar left after the cutting of the umbilical cord was called a “tuch”. And even after the scar healed and fell off, the small hallow known as the navel was also called el “tuch”.
Now it is interesting what parents did with the scar or “tuch” once it fell off. You would think that it would simply be thrown away in the garbage disposal, but no! Because San Pedro was a community entirely made up of fishermen, dad took the “tuch”, near the reef or outside the reef and cast the “tuch” into the sea.
Consequently it was believed that the child would grow up into a sea – faring young man – intrepid, a great sailor or diver and he would never become sea sick while at sea. Interesting and perhaps unbelievable. You don’t have to believe me; ask the older folks who did cast their son’s “tuch” in the open sea.
If this holds true, I can sea carpenters or builders hammering the “tuch” into nothing, or teachers placing it between the pages of an encyclopedia, or gardeners burying it into black soil. Use your imagination.
What would you do with the “tuch” if you wanted your newborn to be a politician or a lawyer or even a newspaper reporter?
– by Angel Nuñez, Columnist
