Despite the fact that 90% of the inhabitants of Mexico are Catholics, ancient beliefs are still very strong among the local population with its Hispanic-Indian roots. For example, the cult of Santa Muerte, the Holy Death, is actively practiced here. It's not even about a set of magical rituals, but about a whole religion …
The cult of Holy Death is closely related to the Mexican idea of death in general. Santa Muerte is not something abstract, but a very real female creature. According to legend, once Holy Death was a beautiful girl. But most often she is depicted as a skeleton, dressed in a white outfit, similar to a wedding dress …
What is the use of this sinister entity? According to legend, she is able to help where other saints are powerless, and is equally fair to everyone. Holy Death is extremely popular with representatives of the “bottom”: thieves, prostitutes, drug dealers … These people often arrange altars in their homes dedicated to Santa Muerta, which are lavishly decorated so that the saint would help in their illegal trade. Flowers, bread, water, alcohol, cigarettes are brought to the altar as offerings.
Holy Death worshipers usually keep images of her. The Santa Muerte statues come in three colors - black, white and gold. Black symbolizes strength, white - purity and innocence, gold - financial prosperity. Sometimes the Holy Death is depicted with the attributes of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but most often she holds a globe in one hand and a scythe in the other, which is much more consistent with her image.
The adherents of the cult wear an icon of Santa Muerte instead of a cross on their chest, or even get a tattoo. In their prayers, they ask the holy help in work and business, as well as protection from evil.
The cult of Holy Death has its own nuances. So, before turning to Santa Muerta for help, you must first formally ask permission from Christ or the Virgin Mary. In addition, it is customary to give a saint some kind of vow in exchange for her help. It is believed that if it is not done, Santa Muerte can get angry and take a person's life. You also can't ask too much of her. Therefore, when people turn to her with requests, they always say: "I am not asking too much, give me at least enough so that I can live a normal life!"
Many are intimidated by everything connected with the cult of the Holy Death. The Mexican authorities do not officially ban this denomination, but actively suppress the propaganda of an alternative religion. In some places, temples dedicated to the cult were demolished, and their ministers were arrested, as rumors spread that they were practicing ritual sacrifices. But they failed to prove it.
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Drugs to communicate with spirits
Another Mexican cult is related to drugs. For example, from the white lophophore cactus. growing in Mexico and some other parts of North America, receive the aphrodisiac mescaline. The ancient Mexican Indians saw the incarnation of a deity in the cactus and arranged rituals of communication with him. The ritual performances lasted a very long time, 15-20 hours each. Especially great importance was attached to them by the Kiowa tribe: everyone sat around the fire, then after prayer the priest or shaman distributed pieces of cactus.
At about midnight, drums began to beat - they called for entertainment as a token of gratitude to the gods …
Indian shamans often used mushrooms for their rituals. At the beginning of the last century, a girl named Maria Sabina lived in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. She was from a very poor family. Once Maria Sabina and her sisters were gathering mushrooms in the forest. The girls tried them and began to sing songs loudly …
Soon Maria Sabina announced that the mushrooms "talk" to her. When one of Maria's sisters fell ill, the mushrooms "prompted" the girl what herbs to use to prepare a decoction that would cure the patient. After that, the suffering began to turn to the girl for help.
When Maria Sabina was 14 years old, she was married. She stopped eating "shamanic" mushrooms, claiming that their power does not work if a woman belongs to a man. But her husbands were dying one after another … After her third husband passed away, Maria Sabina announced that she would never marry again and would devote herself to healing people - apparently, this is her destiny.
Photo: shroomery.org
In 1955, Maria Sabina shared her magical secrets with a couple of visiting American explorers. They published a number of articles in the press about her healing art. This caused quite a stir. People rushed to collect "wonderful" mushrooms in order to use them for their own purposes. Local peasants first accused Mary of giving out “shaman secrets” to strangers, and even set fire to her house in revenge. But then people began to collect "magic" mushrooms themselves and sell them to foreigners and everyone who wanted to "communicate with the spirits."
Photo: celesteprize.com
Although Maria herself said that spirits only get in touch with those who want to help others, and not solve their own problems, no one listened to the woman. However, the "sacred" mushrooms did not bring any particular benefit to any of the hunters for them - probably, they could only "speak" with a select few, like the same Maria Sabina.
The woman passed away in 1985. Oddly enough, the Mexican Catholic Church honors her and does not rank her as a witch. Despite the fact that Maria Sabina practiced ancient shamanic rituals during her lifetime, she was very devout.
The witching heart of America
Do you think that in our computer age, ancient magic has been forgotten, considering it obscurantism? No matter how it is! One of the main attractions of the capital of the state, Mexico City, is the witchcraft market of Sonora (Mercado de Sonora). It operates quite officially, under the auspices of the National Association of Sorcerers.
Every weekend about 2,000 people visit a special part of the market, where they sell various magical paraphernalia: amulets, horseshoes, candles of all sizes, shapes and colors. Here you can buy exotic goods such as golden sand, black salt, powders from unknown ingredients … You will be offered remedies for literally everything: from any disease, weight loss or obesity, from fear of flying …
Among the most popular products are avocado leaves, which supposedly help with inflammation, the plant chiranthodendron, which is used for heart diseases (by the way, translated from Greek chiranthodendron means “tree with human hands”, and Mexicans call it “the hand of the devil”), flowers Jacques-randy, supposedly helping with stomach problems … But these are still flowers (literally and figuratively)! For example, you will be offered dried rattlesnakes as a cure for cancer.
You can also buy rattlesnake blood or dried hummingbird powder here, which will help attract good luck. Crosses made of okote wood serve the same purpose. Garlic necklaces will save you from evil forces, and deer eyes will protect you from damage.
Skulls, fox skins, live exotic birds, frogs, squirrels and iguanas are offered to customers for performing rituals of black magic, for example, for making a love potion according to the recipes of the ancient Aztecs. You can also purchase ready-made - for only $ 10.
In general, love magic is in high demand on the market. A hit of sales is the "love spray" for a few dollars. If you use it, your beloved will never leave you, the merchants promise. Aromatic oils and lotions will also protect from love failures, for example, the aphrodisiac "Scorpion oil", which can seduce a monk … Do not rely on your own strength - turn to a sorcerer who, using spells, will attract a loved one to you or return an unfaithful spouse to the bosom of the family.
Sorcerers, by the way, are called "brujo" in Spanish. Women-sorcerers are considered more powerful, that is, in our opinion, witches. In addition to them, in the Sonora market you can find mediums, psychics and fortune-tellers of all stripes. You can ask the palmist to read your palm, try fate on tarot cards or look into a crystal ball … Faith in occult forces is ineradicable, and there will always be a client.
Tamara TROYANOVA
"Secrets of the XX century" March 2013