Jicara Calabash Cup, 4 Inches

True natural gourd. A real calabash, dried and finished, no two identical.

Working 4 inch size. The traditional hand-cup scale.

Many-traditioned vessel. Mesoamerican craft heritage and diaspora altar service alike.

• Size: approximately 4 inches across; material: natural calabash gourd
• Character: shape, tone, and markings vary gourd to gourd
• Note: natural gourds prefer dry use and hand-rinsing; not for hot liquids or dishwashers
• SKU: VJICARA

The jícara's first lineage is Mesoamerican craft: the calabash cup of Mexico and Central America, the traditional vessel of cacao and atole whose name comes down from the Nahuatl, a household object with centuries of daily service behind it. Its second lineage is the diaspora altar: in Santería and Lucumí practice the jícara serves as an offering and libation vessel, the humble gourd holding water, and other offerings, in the tradition's own ways, which belong to that tradition's houses and elders to teach, a boundary we keep as with all their materials on our shelves. Beyond both, the plain gourd bowl serves any altar that wants a natural vessel, the folk logic being simply that the earth's own container suits the earth's own offerings.

We stock it for all three honest uses: the botanica's offering cup for the houses that direct its service, the general altar's natural vessel, and the craft table's genuine article for the cacao-curious and the gourd-fond.

1. Rinse and dry it by hand on arrival; gourds prefer gentle keeping.
2. Practitioners of the diaspora traditions: your houses' instruction governs its service.
3. For general altar use, let it hold the dry and cool offerings.
4. Keep it from hot liquids, soaking, and dishwashers.
5. Let it dry fully between uses; the gourd rewards the habit.

Each gourd's shape and markings are its own; nature does not do duplicates.

• Ikin 3 Eyes Palm Oil Seed, 1 lb: the diaspora shelf's Ifá material, same boundaries kept.
• Inle Tools Complete Set: the orisha shelf beside it.
• Florida Water, 2 oz: the botanica's universal refreshment.
• Happiness Yellow Rice, 1 oz: a bright dry offering the cup can hold.
• Earth Goddess Altar Cloth: the natural vessel's ground.

What is a jícara?

The traditional calabash gourd cup of Mesoamerica, named from the Nahuatl: centuries of cacao and daily service, and an offering vessel in the Afro-Caribbean traditions besides.

How is it used in Santería and Lucumí?

As an offering and libation vessel, in ways those traditions' own houses and elders teach: a boundary we state plainly and keep.

Can I drink from it?

Traditionally gourds served drink, but ours is sold as a ritual and craft vessel: dry use and hand care suit it best.

Will mine match the photo?

As a sibling: every gourd's shape, tone, and markings are its own.

How do I care for it?

Hand-rinse, dry fully, and spare it heat and soaking; a kept gourd lasts years.