All entries
2,161 entries so far, best known first. 3,219 more are on the list to be written. Narrow by region, kind, purpose, practitioner, belief world, occasion or how alive it is.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
PurposeProtectionHealingSeeing and foretellingLuck and prosperityLove and attractionCursing and harmCleansing and purificationSpeaking with spirits and the deadChange and initiationBinding and oathsPower and authorityWonder and entertainment
WhoShamansFolk healersPriests and ritual specialistsWitches, sorcerers and cunning folkDiviners and readersMediums and the possessedCeremonial magicians and alchemistsHouseholds and ordinary peopleStage magiciansScholars and sceptics
BeliefHindu and TantricBuddhistJainMuslim and SufiJewishChristianSikhZoroastrianShinto and TaoistIndigenous and shamanicAfrican and Afro-diasporicPagan and NeopaganEsoteric and occultFolk and village customSecular and stageOther traditions
馃嚙馃嚧 BoliviaThe Witches' MarketMercado de las Brujas
A La Paz market where Aymara women and yatiri sell ritual items for Pachamama offeringsTradition 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Protection Living
馃嚚馃嚤 ChileTrauco
A small forest spirit from Chilo茅 mythology known for seducing women and causing pregnancyBeing 路 Love and attraction 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti and 1 moreEzili Dantor脠zili Dant貌
A fierce mother spirit in Haitian Vodou who protects the marginalized and demands loyalty.Being 路 Protection 路 Love and attraction Living
馃嚙馃嚪 Brazil and 1 moreQuimbanda
An Afro-Brazilian religion focused on male and female street spirits for worldly mattersTradition 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚙馃嚪 BrazilPomba Gira
An Afro-Brazilian spirit of love and desire worshipped in Umbanda and QuimbandaBeing 路 Love and attraction 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚘馃嚪 Argentina and 5 moreGauchito Gil
A folk saint from Argentina who protects the poor and outcastsBeing 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 5 moreWitchcraft in Latin AmericaBrujer铆a
A syncretic blend of Indigenous, African, and European magical practices across Latin AmericaTradition 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚘馃嚪 Argentina and 2 moreSan La Muerte
A skeletal folk saint venerated in South America for protection and favorsTradition 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiErzulie脠zili
A family of spirits in Haitian Vodou representing love, beauty, and protective fury.Being 路 Protection 路 Love and attraction Living
馃嚛馃嚧 Dominican Republic and 1 moreDominican Vud煤Vud煤 Dominicano
A syncretic Afro-Caribbean religion on Hispaniola with its own spirit lineages and titles.Tradition 路 Protection 路 Love and attraction Living
馃嚛馃嚧 Dominican Republic and 1 moreCiguapa
A back-footed forest spirit of the Dominican Republic known for seduction and jealousyBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Love and attraction Legendary
馃嚛馃嚧 Dominican RepublicAnaisa Pye
A Dominican loa of love and wealth, linked to Saint Anne.Being 路 Love and attraction 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚞馃嚬 Guatemala and 1 moreEl Sombrer贸n
A tall, hat-wearing figure from Guatemalan legend who courts young women and haunts neighborhoods at dusk.Figure 路 Love and attraction 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚥馃嚱 MexicoMercado de Sonora
A Mexico City market known for herbal medicine and occult goodsTradition 路 Protection 路 Love and attraction Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiMarassa Jumeaux
The divine twins of Haitian Vodou, representing love, truth, and justice.Being 路 Love and attraction 路 Cursing and harm Living
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Louisiana Voodoo: I cropped, original authors are Ridpath, John Clark, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Trauco: Seo2 (Cristian), CC BY 2.0, source
- Ezili Dantor: Oficinalis, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- European witchcraft: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Folk saint: Sergio Serrano, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Erzulie: anonymous, Public domain, source
- The Witches' Market: Dan Lundberg, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Mercado de Sonora: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source