Magic in Latin America and the Caribbean
Vodou, Santeria, Candombl茅 and Obeah, curanderismo and brujeria, Andean offerings to the earth, and Amazonian plant healing. 145 entries on EveryJaadu so far.
Places of magic
Bois Ca茂man 2Chilo茅 archipelago 2La Paz 2Port-au-Prince 2Quicav铆 2Recife 2Rio de Janeiro 2Alto de Pinheiros 1Antigua Guatemala 1Ara莽oiaba da Serra 1Araucan铆a 1Aux Cayes 1Bel茅m 1Belmont 1Boa Sorte 1Calama 1Cerro Azul 1Chilo茅 1Colonia Merced Balbuena 1Company Villages 1Corrientes 1Cuero 1Cueva de Quicav铆 1El Cibao 1Greater Buenos Aires 1Guanarito Municipality 1Guant谩namo 1Guatemala City 1Huautla de Jim茅nez 1Jacmel 1
Rites of the region
Limpia with an eggDay of the Dead ofrendaSanteria initiation (kariocha)Candombl茅 ebo offeringHaitian Vodou serviceAndean despacho and pago a la PachamamaA curanderismo healing sessionAyahuasca ceremonyObeah in Jamaica
Countries
馃嚘馃嚞 Antigua and Barbuda 2馃嚘馃嚪 Argentina 25馃嚙馃嚫 Bahamas 5馃嚙馃嚙 Barbados 7馃嚙馃嚳 Belize 4馃嚙馃嚧 Bolivia 16馃嚙馃嚪 Brazil 67馃嚚馃嚤 Chile 27馃嚚馃嚧 Colombia 13馃嚚馃嚪 Costa Rica 3馃嚚馃嚭 Cuba 23馃嚛馃嚥 Dominica 11馃嚛馃嚧 Dominican Republic 9馃嚜馃嚚 Ecuador 8馃嚫馃嚮 El Salvador 4馃嚞馃嚛 Grenada 1馃嚞馃嚬 Guatemala 18馃嚞馃嚲 Guyana 10馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti 47馃嚟馃嚦 Honduras 4馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica 17馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico 63馃嚦馃嚠 Nicaragua 2馃嚨馃嚘 Panama 3馃嚨馃嚲 Paraguay 10馃嚨馃嚜 Peru 27馃嚨馃嚪 Puerto Rico 5馃嚢馃嚦 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1馃嚤馃嚚 Saint Lucia 3馃嚮馃嚚 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1馃嚫馃嚪 Suriname 8馃嚬馃嚬 Trinidad and Tobago 14馃嚭馃嚲 Uruguay 7馃嚮馃嚜 Venezuela 11
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
馃嚙馃嚡 Benin and 2 morePapa Legba
A loa who stands at the crossroads and opens the gate between people and spiritsBeing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 3 moreCurandero
A folk healer in Latin America and the United States who blends indigenous and Catholic traditions.Tradition 路 Healing 路 Protection Living
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 2 moreAlebrije
Brightly painted Mexican sculptures of fantastical creatures, made from paper or woodTradition 路 Protection 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 2 moreAluxaluxo'ob
A small Maya spirit believed to guard fields and cause mischief if offended.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚙馃嚪 Brazil and 2 moreCandombl茅
An Afro-Brazilian religion blending West African spirits with Catholic imageryTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Healing Living
馃嚨馃嚜 Peru and 5 morePachamama
The Andean mother goddess of space-time and the earthBeing 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti and 2 moreLwa
Spirits in Haitian Vodou that mediate between people and the creator god.Being 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 5 moreObeah
A Caribbean tradition of ritual healing and spell-casting with African rootsTradition 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 5 morePersonifications of death
Figures from many cultures that embody the end of life and guide soulsFigure 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiVodou veve (sample)V猫v猫
Ground drawings that call the lwa.Tradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚙馃嚪 Brazil and 1 moreSaciSaci-perer锚
A one-legged prankster of Brazilian folklore who hides in dust devils and wears a magic red cap.Figure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚬馃嚬 Trinidad and Tobago and 5 moreSoucouyant
A shape-shifting vampire spirit of Caribbean folklore that sheds its skin to fly as a fireballBeing 路 Cursing and harm 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
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 2 moreKromanti
A ritual language spoken by ancestral spirits in Jamaican Maroon ceremoniesBelief 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚬馃嚬 Trinidad and Tobago and 4 moreTrinidad Orisha
A syncretic Afro-Caribbean faith blending Yoruba spirit work with Christian and other traditions in Trinidad.Tradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Healing Living
馃嚙馃嚪 BrazilPro-VidaPr贸-Vida, Integra莽茫o C贸smica
An occultist group founded in Brazil that promises cosmic consciousness and earthly paradise.Tradition 路 Change and initiation 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚚馃嚭 Cuba and 1 moreHaitian Vodou in CubaVod煤 Haitiano
A Caribbean religious tradition brought by migrants and maintained in eastern CubaTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
馃嚘馃嚪 Argentina and 1 moreSpiritual mapping
A Christian practice of mapping locations to identify and pray against territorial demonsBelief 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 3 moreDuppy
A Caribbean term for a ghost or malevolent spirit, rooted in West African folklore.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Living
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
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 4 moreJumbee
A shadowy spirit of the dead in Caribbean folklore, often linked to evil deeds.Belief 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚫馃嚮 El SalvadorChasca
A spirit of the water in Salvadoran folklore who blesses respectful fishermenFigure 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiHaitian CarnivalKanaval
A major Caribbean festival of music, dance, and satire leading to Mardi Gras in HaitiTradition 路 Wonder and entertainment 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚨馃嚜 PeruChakapa
A leaf rattle used by Amazonian healers in ayahuasca ceremonies and spirit cleansing rituals.Rite 路 Healing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
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
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 1 moreNine-Night
A nine-day Caribbean wake rooted in Akan tradition to celebrate the deceased and guide their spirit home.Rite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚥馃嚱 MexicoMazatec shamanism
A Mazatec healing tradition centered on visionary plant ceremonies called veladasTradition 路 Healing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚙馃嚳 BelizeTata DuendeNukuch Tat
A thumbless forest spirit of Belizean folklore that protects animals and warns children.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚮馃嚜 VenezuelaDjucu
A warm sea nut used as a lucky charm in the CaribbeanCharm 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti and 3 moreNago lwa
A Haitian Vodou nation of masculine spirits rooted in Yoruba traditionsBeing 路 Power and authority 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiBoum'ba Maza
A family of water spirits in Haitian Vodou ritesBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Healing Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiF猫y
A Haitian Vodou folk song used as a political anthem during military ruleTradition 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiRada lwa
A family of cool-tempered spirits in Haitian VodouBeing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti and 1 morePetwo
A family of hot and volatile spirits in Haitian VodouBeing 路 Power and authority 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚦馃嚠 Nicaragua and 3 moreHeadless priestel cura sin cabeza / paring pugot
A headless Catholic spirit that haunts Central America and the Philippines as a warning against sacrilege.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Cleansing and purification Living
馃嚛馃嚥 DominicaBelie Belcan
A loa of justice and protection in Dominican Vud煤, linked to Saint Michael.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm 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
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiChristian-Vodou
The blending of Haitian Vodou and Roman Catholicism into a single spiritual practiceTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
馃嚥馃嚱 MexicoVelada
A Mazatec healing ceremony using sacred plants to commune with the divineRite 路 Healing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiBizango
Haitian secret societies linked to Vodou and social controlTradition 路 Cursing and harm 路 Binding and oaths Living
馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti and 1 moreHaitian Vodou and homosexuality
The place of LGBTQ people in Hait Vodou practice and beliefTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚙馃嚙 Barbados and 2 moreObeah and Wanga
A Caribbean folk magic tradition and a Haitian charm packet, referenced in Western occult texts.Tradition 路 Power and authority 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 1 moreKromanti dance
A sacred Jamaican Maroon ceremony rooted in Asante traditions and ancestral possessionRite 路 Healing 路 Protection Living
馃嚬馃嚬 Trinidad and Tobago and 1 moreTrinidadian Vodunu
A West African Vodun tradition practiced in Trinidad and Tobago with Catholic elementsTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 3 moreCurandero
A folk healer in Latin America and the United States who blends indigenous and Catholic traditions.Tradition 路 Healing 路 Protection Living
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 2 moreAlebrije
Brightly painted Mexican sculptures of fantastical creatures, made from paper or woodTradition 路 Protection 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 2 moreAluxaluxo'ob
A small Maya spirit believed to guard fields and cause mischief if offended.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚙馃嚪 Brazil and 2 moreCandombl茅
An Afro-Brazilian religion blending West African spirits with Catholic imageryTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Healing Living
馃嚨馃嚜 Peru and 5 morePachamama
The Andean mother goddess of space-time and the earthBeing 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti and 2 moreLwa
Spirits in Haitian Vodou that mediate between people and the creator god.Being 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 5 moreObeah
A Caribbean tradition of ritual healing and spell-casting with African rootsTradition 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 5 morePersonifications of death
Figures from many cultures that embody the end of life and guide soulsFigure 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiVodou veve (sample)V猫v猫
Ground drawings that call the lwa.Tradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚙馃嚪 Brazil and 1 moreSaciSaci-perer锚
A one-legged prankster of Brazilian folklore who hides in dust devils and wears a magic red cap.Figure 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚬馃嚬 Trinidad and Tobago and 5 moreSoucouyant
A shape-shifting vampire spirit of Caribbean folklore that sheds its skin to fly as a fireballBeing 路 Cursing and harm 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
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 2 moreKromanti
A ritual language spoken by ancestral spirits in Jamaican Maroon ceremoniesBelief 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚬馃嚬 Trinidad and Tobago and 4 moreTrinidad Orisha
A syncretic Afro-Caribbean faith blending Yoruba spirit work with Christian and other traditions in Trinidad.Tradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Healing Living
馃嚙馃嚪 BrazilPro-VidaPr贸-Vida, Integra莽茫o C贸smica
An occultist group founded in Brazil that promises cosmic consciousness and earthly paradise.Tradition 路 Change and initiation 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚚馃嚭 Cuba and 1 moreHaitian Vodou in CubaVod煤 Haitiano
A Caribbean religious tradition brought by migrants and maintained in eastern CubaTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
馃嚘馃嚪 Argentina and 1 moreSpiritual mapping
A Christian practice of mapping locations to identify and pray against territorial demonsBelief 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 3 moreDuppy
A Caribbean term for a ghost or malevolent spirit, rooted in West African folklore.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Living
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
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 4 moreJumbee
A shadowy spirit of the dead in Caribbean folklore, often linked to evil deeds.Belief 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚫馃嚮 El SalvadorChasca
A spirit of the water in Salvadoran folklore who blesses respectful fishermenFigure 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiHaitian CarnivalKanaval
A major Caribbean festival of music, dance, and satire leading to Mardi Gras in HaitiTradition 路 Wonder and entertainment 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚨馃嚜 PeruChakapa
A leaf rattle used by Amazonian healers in ayahuasca ceremonies and spirit cleansing rituals.Rite 路 Healing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
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
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 1 moreNine-Night
A nine-day Caribbean wake rooted in Akan tradition to celebrate the deceased and guide their spirit home.Rite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚥馃嚱 MexicoMazatec shamanism
A Mazatec healing tradition centered on visionary plant ceremonies called veladasTradition 路 Healing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚙馃嚳 BelizeTata DuendeNukuch Tat
A thumbless forest spirit of Belizean folklore that protects animals and warns children.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚮馃嚜 VenezuelaDjucu
A warm sea nut used as a lucky charm in the CaribbeanCharm 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti and 3 moreNago lwa
A Haitian Vodou nation of masculine spirits rooted in Yoruba traditionsBeing 路 Power and authority 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiBoum'ba Maza
A family of water spirits in Haitian Vodou ritesBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Healing Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiF猫y
A Haitian Vodou folk song used as a political anthem during military ruleTradition 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiRada lwa
A family of cool-tempered spirits in Haitian VodouBeing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti and 1 morePetwo
A family of hot and volatile spirits in Haitian VodouBeing 路 Power and authority 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚦馃嚠 Nicaragua and 3 moreHeadless priestel cura sin cabeza / paring pugot
A headless Catholic spirit that haunts Central America and the Philippines as a warning against sacrilege.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Cleansing and purification Living
馃嚛馃嚥 DominicaBelie Belcan
A loa of justice and protection in Dominican Vud煤, linked to Saint Michael.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm 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
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiChristian-Vodou
The blending of Haitian Vodou and Roman Catholicism into a single spiritual practiceTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
馃嚥馃嚱 MexicoVelada
A Mazatec healing ceremony using sacred plants to commune with the divineRite 路 Healing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚟馃嚬 HaitiBizango
Haitian secret societies linked to Vodou and social controlTradition 路 Cursing and harm 路 Binding and oaths Living
馃嚟馃嚬 Haiti and 1 moreHaitian Vodou and homosexuality
The place of LGBTQ people in Hait Vodou practice and beliefTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚙馃嚙 Barbados and 2 moreObeah and Wanga
A Caribbean folk magic tradition and a Haitian charm packet, referenced in Western occult texts.Tradition 路 Power and authority 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚡馃嚥 Jamaica and 1 moreKromanti dance
A sacred Jamaican Maroon ceremony rooted in Asante traditions and ancestral possessionRite 路 Healing 路 Protection Living
馃嚬馃嚬 Trinidad and Tobago and 1 moreTrinidadian Vodunu
A West African Vodun tradition practiced in Trinidad and Tobago with Catholic elementsTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Chakapa: Mario Mart铆n /Archivo Centro Takiwasi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Folk healer: calliopejen, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Louisiana Voodoo: I cropped, original authors are Ridpath, John Clark, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Egungun: 脤峁ａ汗虁峁Assembly, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Alebrije: Luisalvaz, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Alux: Gary Todd, CC0, source
- Candombl茅: Andr茅 Koehne, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pachamama: Penarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lwa: Hector Hyppolite, Public domain, source
- Obeah: Various, published by David Nutt, Public domain, source
- Haitian Vodou in Cuba: Dr. Anthony R. Picciolo, NOAA NODC, Public domain, source
- Folk Catholicism: Calvin Hennick, for WBUR Boston, CC BY 3.0, source
- Personifications of death: No machine-readable author provided. Kirtap assumed (based on copyrigh, CC BY 2.5, source
- Haitian Carnival: User:Doron, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Belie Belcan: Domfranciscorodrigues, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mercado de Sonora: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source