Around the year 2000, when I first began visiting "La Agüita de Liborio," Andrés, the site's caretaker and ceremonial musician, told me a story that happened there and goes by word of mouth, along with many other stories from this holy place.
Liborio is the 20th century spiritual leader and healer who struck Dominicans with great reverence. He was persecuted by the Dominican government and the Marines in the first American occupation of the Dominican Republic from 1916 to 1922 and assassinated by them. His followers still seek healing in the place where he cured "La Agüita de Liborio" and call him the "Santo Vivo de la Maguana".
Previously this place of pilgrimage had another name and was known as "La Agüita de Los Indios." Anacaona and Caonabo are believed to reside there and heal people of physical and spiritual illnesses; the Maguana cacicazgo they used to rule was in this region. Here, Anacaona is turned into a crab and finds herself in a small cave where the missionaries bring her offerings and ask for their health.
Once a man stole the Anacaona crab, placed her in a glass container with the water from the stream and took it home. He was hoping that having her there would help him recover from his serious illness.
Upon arrival, he opened the container and the Anacaona crab spoke to him in an intimidating tone, demanding that he take her back to her sanctuary. The man was so startled that he immediately took her to her dwelling. Since then, no one else has dared to take her out of her cave for fear of a curse.
With my love and gratitude,
Akutu Irka
