Laurac: The U-suré, conical house or cosmic house, is impregnated with symbolism and has faced different use changes over time. Before the arrival of Europeans in Costa Rica was used as a traditional house. The roof is a large cone that represents a celestial...

2018-04-07T04:17:11Z

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The U-suré, conical house or cosmic house, is impregnated with symbolism and has faced different use changes over time. Before the arrival of Europeans in Costa Rica was used as a traditional house. The roof is a large cone that represents a celestial vault. According to his worldview Sibú (creator of the world) chose this conical form to house the indigenous people. Formerly, it was a house where several families lived, with a matriarchal organization. It also evokes the kingdom of darkness because it has no windows and only a single entrance to the east. After independence, the Ministry of Health prohibited the Indigenous people to use their traditional house as a home, they were inserting western houses in these communities. In this way, the U-suré became a traditional and sacred space and a house of culture. Today it is used to perform cultural activities such as the sorbon dance where everyone holds hands in a circular way and around the fire, they sing and dance, thanking Sibú. In addition, this cone is structured in 4 parts that symbolize the natives worlds. It is believed that there is another identical cone that grows below the ground, where the 4 virtual underworlds are located. Suita palm is used for it construction so the house is biodegradable and every 12 years is rebuilt in a collective ceremony, at the end of the construction there take place a community celebration. Today this symbol means identity that reminds us of a large portion of our indigenous history that is constantly invisible from Eurocentric hegemonic discourses. Because of its ramp shape towards the sky, and the hierarchy in the indigenous community, I think that for any visitor it turns out to be an important landmark in the context, however I believe that a small explanation is needed to understand its importance from the worldview.

File:My Landscape symbols 1 U-sure.jpg - Revision history

Laurac: The U-suré, conical house or cosmic house, is impregnated with symbolism and has faced different use changes over time. Before the arrival of Europeans in Costa Rica was used as a traditional house. The roof is a large cone that represents a celestial...