The Morning Edition - Curses and Weddings

This more of a "midnight edition" than a "morning edition" but the concept is the same, so I'll leave the title the same.  After some time of mostly abandoning my blog, I've come back to find out that popularity peaked at a time when was ignoring it completely with almost 1800 visits during the month of November (yes, I know in the blogging world, these numbers are really low, but they're an accomplishment for me!)

Other than that, the big news is that just recently my blog passed 15,000 total page views.  The totals are less interesting than the breakdown of popularity by posts:

The number 1 most popular is still The Curse of the Eye, a post about a very common superstition in Mexico - so common, that many people don't recognize it as a superstition; they see it more as a reality, like the common cold.  It has a total of over 3000 visits, and continues to top the weekly numbers every week.  I've realized, though, that a big part of its popularity is connected to the Sauron eye image I put at the top, which people look for in Google.  Sauron's eye has nothing to do with the superstition, but I thought it looked good.

This post is followed up by My Mexico City Experience - Pulque, about a popular and ancient Mexican drink, What really makes you Mexican?, a discussion if I can really call myself Mexican or not, and Cuernavaca and Drug-related Violence, a post about a real wave of violence in a beautiful colonial city, and how that does (and doesn't) affect life there.  Each of these is between 400 and 500 visits.

Finally, a new record was set by A Tragic Wedding, a sad (and true) story of an arranged marriage and a love lost for for life.  This story has only 40 visits, but they were all the same day I posted it.  I don't think any of my posts have gained that many visits so quickly. The "Curse of the Eye" has gained more than 40 visits consistently, but not when I first posted it - it took a while to catch on.

And the title of this post - well, it's just about the two posts that are most important in today's update.  But on the other hand, the "curse of the eye" is a concern at weddings, I think.  Also, rings seem to have to something to do with both of them (hence the picture, again stolen from unofficial imagery based on "The Lord of the Rings" even though it really has nothing to do with the post.)

Saint Death - A Uniquely Mexican (and Strange) Phenomenon

A Saint Death Figure For Sale In a Store

"Saint Death" seems to be a  primarily Mexican phenomenon, although I have recently been informed that there is a "San la Muerte" in Argentina.  The following of "Saint Death" is not tied specifically to any one other Mexican cultural feature, but rather a hodge-podge of several of the most important ones.  Saint Death is a unofficial sub-cult (sub-cult because it seems have many individual followers from various other religions, without being an official part of any of them - although it seems to be trying to emerge as an official religion). Adherents worship Death as cult object, or at least (much more commonly) ask it for favours as a saint.  Saint Death is almost invariably represented by a grim-reaper like statue of just about any size (I've seen key-chains and human-size statues,) but it can also be portrait.  People will ask Saint Death for many things, ranging from money, to a husband, to protection while working the night shift, to success in a crime they're about to commit.

Before saying much else there are some very, very important things to note about the cult of Saint Death:

This is not officially accepted or tolerated by Catholicism.  (Originally I said "in no way Catholic" but some one pointed out that that statement is "tendentious.") The Catholic Church of Mexico has officially condemned the cult as satanism, and teaches that even the least committed adherence is unacceptable. (Out of pure curiosity,  I consulted a Catholic deacon, and confirmed it on the internet.)   This is very confusing since the part that is trying to emerge as an official religion actually has rites which are based on the Catholic liturgy; one group actually calls itself "catholic."  Even more confusing is that many members of the real Catholic Church ignorantly keep Saint Death icons thinking that it is a legitimate saint.  These last two reasons specifically brought the Catholic Church in Mexico to condemn the cult; it doesn't have strong enough presence in the U.S. yet to have brought any official statement from U.S. bishops.

It is definitely not Protestant or any other Christian group.  Most protestants in Mexico will be very quick to condemn this kind of superstition.  For the reasons mentioned above, many think that it's one of Catholicisms many faults.  But here's a dark little secret: my mother-in-law believes that her father, my wife's grandfather, who is a staunch convert to Protestantism  (which is supposed to mean opposition to all of Mexico's superstitions) is hiding a little figure of Saint Death in his bedroom, hoping it will help him discover the gold from the Mexican Revolution he's certain is buried in his land. I'm sure his pastor doesn't know about that one ...

(See Looking for a pot of Gold? Perhaps a heart of Gold? Grandpa Pedro, Part 2)

Saint Death, With Fake U.S. Bills and Canadian Coins

It's predominantly working class.  Like the "curse of the eye" bracelets , this is a superstition with a very strong following in the working class, and seems to cross religious, regional and lifestyle borders withing the working class.  Although, from my experience, it seems to be much more urban than rural.  (So, it could be that my wife's grandfather, living out in the isolated hills, really doesn't know what it is; he says someone gave it to him for good luck.  Although this doesn't justify his hiding it.)  The main altars for Saint Death (yes, there are public altars - they are centered around the statue figures seen above) are located in Mexico City, with the most famous one in the very poor downtown community of Tepito, which is also the city's largest street market, a great place for everything cheap, stolen and illegal.  That one is dressed as a bride. It's the only public altar I've seen, although numerous others exist.

(Compare:The Curse of the Eye, and The Morning Edition - Exotic Mexico)

It's not associated with the original Day of the Dead Celebration.  As with Catholicism, followers of Saint Death have integrated traditional elements of Day of the Dead into their rites, and even have a special celebration on Nov. 1, which is the first Day of the Dead.  But from what I understand, the Day of the Dead celebration is in honour of the souls of friends and relatives who have passed away, and does not celebrate "death" as a element in itself.  I think that the Day of the Dead can be celebrated in accordance with Catholic beliefs, but I still have to check both the Catholic and Protestant view of this celebration.  In any case, most people who celebrate don't make any connection to "Saint Death," unless they are already followers.  ( Click here to read more about the Day of the Dead)

Most people who worship or adore Saint Death do so in secret. For this reason, I've seen very few people with their little figures.  I have seen some in buses or taxis.  As noted above, the open following of Saint Death is becoming more common.

A "Natural Store" Selling a Bazaar (but common) Combination of Items

One very strange feature of these figures is that they are sold in "Health Food Stores" - "Tiendas Naturistas."  These stores are not like the vegan hippie shops up in Canada or the U.S.  They don't sell TVP, soy-milk, natural peanut butter or quinoa; in Mexico, quinoa is sold as a candy rather than a health food. Rather they sell a supply of natural remedies (tree barks, leaves, seeds, etc.), along side ingredients for common spiritualism (or "witch craft" if you like,) superstitious objects (like the anti-curse-of-the-eye "deer's eye" bracelets), items for the Day of the Dead (when in season), Catholic icons and images, and Saint Death statues.   This very strange mix also makes the confusions mentioned above difficult to unravel, and strengthens the perceived connection between all of these things in the eye of the common public; thus my emphasis on the lack of a real bilateral connection between Saint Death and anything else found in those stores, except perhaps the superstition items; I don't believe, that most of its adherents even practice any sort of witch craft, although I could be wrong.

This is one of those Mexican things closely tied to superstition, and verging on being its own brand of spiritualism; it probably hits rock-bottom on the list of Mexican cultural features I would actually want to participate in.  Although it would be pretty hard to convince me to put one of those evil-eye bracelets on my child as well, I could see myself buying one of the bracelets just as a specimen to show people (not to use); on the other hand, I don't think I could find a place in all my curiosity for a Saint Death figure, even as a specimen.  It is, however, a very interesting and unique cultural phenomenon.

What I've written here is based primarily my personal experience, and is, for that reason, quite incomplete. For more in-depth and better researched information, see Arturo Vasquez's posts in his blog "Reditus":

http://arturovasquez.wordpress.com/tag/santa-muerte/
http://arturovasquez.wordpress.com/tag/folk-catholicism/

For information about "San La Muerte" in Argentina, read:

http://arturovasquez.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/san-la-muerte/

Tepoztlan, "Where UFOs and Witches Live Happily Together"

Typical home with the church's steeple (photo by Cecilia Marquez)

One of my favorite villages that I've been to is Tepoztlan, the village where I got married, near Cuernavaca, just south of Mexico City.  Part of the reason why we chose it for our wedding is that its very traditional, with little adobe homes, delicious restaurants, a very typical central market, and a beautiful view of steep, green hillside behind it.

It was also one of my first images of Mexico; when we had just met through a friend on the internet, my wife sent me a postcard and some pictures of the market.

The town is officially recognized as the Mexican government as a "Magic Town."  But there's something more "magical" about this town.  Up on the hilltop there is a small pyramid, overlooking the village.  It can be accessed by walking up a path that winds back and forth through a narrow cleft in the hillside.

People who live up near the hillside will report strange events near their homes at night - sounds, lights, ghostly figures and voices.

Many residents claim that they have seen UFOs up above the pyramid at night.

During the numerous visits I made during the year I lived in Cuernavaca, I never noticed anything strange.  But I was never near the hill at night. I stayed in a little room in the garden where we had our wedding, near the edge of town the nights before and after, but I didn't pay much attention to the hill.

A friend of my wife's (actually her boss, whom I mentioned in my first post about coffee, Coffee, Wonderful Coffee!) lived near the foot of the hill for a while and told us of a few such occurrences.

Me at Tepozteco - the pyramid on the hill

Because of this very reputation, my wife, who knew the town well before she met me, wrote on the back of he first post card she sent me, "This is Tepoztlan, where UFO's and witches live happily together."  Not a bad introduction to the town's reputation.

My experience has a lot more to do with delicious quesadillas, relaxing walks through the town streets, sitting in the town square listening to traditional music, and, last, but certainly not least, my wedding in the wonderful old church.  More to come on Tepoztlan.

To read more about places travel, try these:

The Day of the Dead - Different Traditions throughout Mexico
WARNING: Mexico is DANGEROUS! Do not come here - unless ..
A Different Kind of Beachfront Town - My Visit to Progreso
 Grandpa's Farm in The Isolated Hills of Mexico State - Part 1, The First Visit
New Hostel for Mexico City - Restored Colonial Building Downtown
Where's your adventurous spirit?

The Curse of the Eye

"Mal de Ojo" -  "The Curse of the Eye" or "The Evil Eye"

I guess to start, I should explain that the title of this post is a translation - an exaggerated translation - of a phrase in Spanish is very difficult into English, primarily because the idea is so foreign to English-speaking cultures.

Let me start with a story.  One day, a month or two after my first son was born, we went to visit her cousin. My wife went upstairs immediately to use the washroom, and her cousin noticed that the baby was fussing.

"I think he got hot in the street.  Do you clean him?" she asked as I tried to calm the baby down.

"Well, yes," I explained, thinking that I understood the question. "At least once a day, and sometimes more often when it's really hot."

"Do you clean him?"

"Usually my wife does," I continued.  "Sometimes I just take him into the shower."

"No - that's not what I mean.  Do you clean him - I mean, with an egg?"

I obviously looked confused, so she explained.  "Do you clean him from 'mal del ojo,' using an egg?  Sometimes when a baby is in the street, they get 'mal de ojo,' and it heats their blood up.  You have to clean them with an egg to take it away and calm them down."

Now I remembered: "I don't because I don't know how.  I have to get someone else to do it."  I had vaguely heard of the idea before

So, she proceeded to take an egg out of her cupboard, rub the baby's body and head with it.  She then cracked it into cup of water, examined the water, and discarded it.  He had calmed down by that point, so, the antidote had worked.

Later, my wife explained in more detail.  From what I understand, "mal del ojo," occurs when somebody sees another person - especially a child - has the desire to touch that child, and refrains from doing so, thus leaving themselves with a sort of anxiety. (In Mexico it is common enough just to touch a child which they think is cute, adorable, etc.  It is also common to touch the belly of a pregnant woman; in both cases, it doesn't matter if you know the other person or not.)  This "anxiety" causes the child that they saw to get "mal de ojo." ("Anxiety" is not the best translation, but the concept as a whole kind of lacks words that work well in English, since we don't have anything like this idea.)


"Mal de ojo" manifests itself - again, from my limited understanding - as kind of a feverish sickness that leaves the child hot, uncomfortable and whiny.  So, when children enter a home off the street, and are hot and cranky, it is almost 100% certain that someone had a desire to touch them, and didn't.  (Personally, I suspect the heat of the Mexican sun, combined with the mountain of blankets that people put on their infants at any time of year has much more to do with it, but what do I know.)  You can usually identify who/when it was, because you remember someone looking at the child.  If the person who "cleanses" the child with an egg is the same person who had the desire to touch them, it works better.  The child can also be cleaned by other methods, including sweaty clothes - I've never actually seen anyone do this, but I've heard and read about it.

When you crack the egg into water, the white leaves a "tail" streaming upwards; this tail contains the "mal" or "evil" from the mishap, indicating that it has been drawn out of the child.  This is what my wife's cousin was looking for.

A bracelet with a "deer's eye" to ward off "mal de ojo"

Apparently, "mal del ojo" can occur with people of other ages as well, but children are far more susceptible, (since it's more common to see a child you think is adorable, I guess.)  This is part of the reason why, in public many people will come and touch your child after they see them and make some comment about how cute they are; sometimes (but not always) they are trying to prevent "mal de ojo."  The other reason is that Mexican people are just a lot more touchy-feely.

You can also protect a child against "mal de ojo" by means of a red bracelet with a seed called a "deer's eye" on it.

I'm not a superstitious person, so I don't believe this really happens.  My wife, who is also not superstitious, generally, was actually convinced by her relatives to buy a bracelet and keep it on our child for a few months.

Many Mexicans, however, don't even see this as a superstition; it's simply a fact of what happens, and how you have to deal with it.  I once brought it up in an English class I was teaching, in which the theme was "superstitions," and several students were surprised that I lumped this together with four-leafed clovers and broken mirrors in credibility; everybody knew about it, much better than me, but no one had named it when we were listing superstitions.  Needless to say, by no means do all Mexicans believe in it.  There are plenty of non-superstitious and skeptical Mexicans.  There is a definite link to social class, but I have come across some surprising exceptions.

On the other hand, who am I say that it's not true?  Maybe in some sense beyond my understanding it actually does happen. Who knows.

Translation notes: The exaggerated translation for the title (together with the Eye of Sauron image from The Lord of the Rings) was meant to catch your attention, but the only other translation I've seen "Evil Eye," normally means something else in English, so I can't really think of a better way to translate it anyway.  The more correct translation for "limpiar" in this case would be "cleanse" and not "clean;" but since it is the same word in Spanish, which caused part of my confusion, I translated it with "clean."

(By the way, the first time I heard about "mal de ojo" I couldn't help but to imagine the Eye of Sauron.  No real connection, just my imagination.)

I don't really have any other posts about superstitions, but I have a few about religion, which is not really related, but something else to read.

(Update Feb 24, 2011: I just put up a post about Saint Death, a similarly wide-spread superstition with an almost cult-like following.  See Saint Death - A Uniquely Mexican (and Strange) Phenomenon)