Charada is a simple numerological system of dream interpretation used for the divination of numbers to play the lottery in Cuba. Numbers from one to one hundred have a name assigned to them; if you dream about a snake you play 21.

The first thirty-six find their origins in the Chinese Charade. These thirty-six were the original ones that were expanded to one-hundred above sometime in the twentieth century.

Ethnically Cuba is rather unique amongst Latin American countries in that the three main ethnographical streams that make up the national character are Spanish, African and Chinese. 

Though the Chinese did not arrive (as low wage labourers) until mid 19th century, they had a large cultural impact, particularly in adding mystic elements to the Cuban mélange of Santeria, Catholicism, Jewish Mysticism, etc.  

The exact origin of the assignment of images or names to numbers is unclear. It is pretty certain to have come from the Chinese population in Cuba. There has been also references to a "Chifa book" commonly used in Malaysia to pick lottery numbers that expands the range all the way to 1000.

These are the numbers and the names:

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