Lisa Paravisini-Gebert, Professor of Hispanic Studies on the Randolph Distinguished Professor Chair and Chair of Hispanic Studies, has received the 2026–2027 Avery Distinguished Fellowship in the Humanities from The Huntington. During her fellowship year, Lisa will work on her book project, The Mighty Ceiba: Sacred Tree of the American Tropics, a multidisciplinary study focused on the ceiba tree (Ceiba pentandra), a cultural and religious icon in the American tropics since pre-Columbian times.

Perhaps the most outstanding example of pantropical charismatic megaflora, the ceiba is a sacred tree to the Maya people, venerated by the Arawak population of the Caribbean as YaYa, central to African-derived practices in Santería, and the mapou or tree-that-must-never-be-cut of Haitian Vodou. It is a highly valued species across its broad range, which extends from northern South America to Central America, Mexico, the Gulf states, and the Caribbean archipelago. Lisa explores the ceiba’s relationship to history, link to enduring religious traditions and practices, and possible role in the conservation of vital elements of the region’s environment.

Her study moves from an exploration of the ceiba’s centrality in the worldview of various indigenous peoples of the region and in the mythologies that explain the creation of the world, to its present status as a tree species that anchors rich biodiversity habitats that provide a buffer against the effects of climate change.