Authentic Efun - Cascarilla

Efun is a white chalk that is comprised of ground snail shell and white clay. Its usefulness is endless. It can be used to appease the Orisa, boat Obatala, because of its white color. Also, it can be used for magical writings, painting the body during rituals, and as a powerful medicine. Straight from Nigeria, our efun comes in two different sizes. Small size which consist of two small efun balls, and medium size which consist of one efun tablet that is about 3" in length. Efun is a handmade product, so size does vary. Efun or Cascarilla can be traced back to the native traditions of West Africa. Among other beliefs, the people of this region brought to the New World the concept of sacred white earth they called efun. They believed this substance could provide an individual with protection against evil. Cut off from their ancestral lands, they sought an alternative that could achieve the same effects. This came in the form of an herbal powder called Efun / Cascarilla. The finely ground outer bark of this large, tropical shrub was already known among the Caribbean natives for its medicinal properties that included reducing fevers, operating as an expectorant, and even clearing flatulence. In fact, the word cascarilla refers to any kind of outer skin or husk. Cascarilla also happened to possess a nearly white color. Over time, Santeria practitioners transitioned from using this herbal powder to using crushed egg shells. These were easier to come by, and the symbolism of the life-giving egg also made it very attractive. This is for true Authentic Efun