Magical Needs and Witches Brew

A Sonora stall of curative herbs

Visit any small town market and you’ll be swept off your feet by the plethora of goods from dried wood shavings to charms and spells. So who is afraid of the big bad witch? And if you are into serious business, you can haggle for charms and amulets meant to keep lovers from straying or bargain for magic spells to court wealth. That’s how witches in developing countries survive the economic crunch.

In Mexico, the witch market in Sonora is one tourist attraction and locals flock to the market before the start of the new year to attract better wealth, the return of a lover or spouse, and to wage destruction on an unsuspecting enemy. The witches have everything you want in Sonora Market. There are snakes, potent candles, oddities and curiosities andeven those ugly voodoo dolls touted to have magical but potent charms.

The women don’t disguise the fact that they are witches. They wear necklaces of small skulls. They’ll perform a cleansing ritual for you using eggs, herbs, smoke, and the throwing of birdseed behind the back of the “patient.”

You can also trek to Catemaco to talk to the town’s warlocks and witches and ask for rituals to protect you from envious eyes and mischievous spells.

In the Philippines, pseudo witches and healers trek to Siquijor to get concoctions brewed with much ceremony on a Black Friday. The herbs are purportedly coming from caves and are carefully selected following a special ritual of fasting and incantations before the Holy Week sets in.

Most petitions are for better sexual relationships and do you know what goes into these potions which you have to drink for a year? Menstrual blood mixed with sperm, bull manure cooked in cow’s urine, or boiled bull’s genitalia.

All witches have their charms and amulets to ward off the evil eye, to lure love, to get rid of unwanted attention, to attract wealth and good health. If you’re intending to try some potion watch out for the New Year, Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox, and Winter Solstice, Halloween, and Christian Candleria which is celebrated every February 2. So take note of the times if you want these potions.

Photo credits: http://www.worldisround.com/articles/4567/photo16.html

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