Magic in Latin America and the Caribbean

Vodou, Santeria, Candomblé and Obeah, curanderismo and brujeria, Andean offerings to the earth, and Amazonian plant healing. 145 entries on EveryJaadu so far.

Places of magic

Rites of the region

Limpia with an egg Day of the Dead ofrenda Santeria initiation (kariocha)Candomblé ebo offering Haitian Vodou service Andean despacho and pago a la Pachamama A curanderismo healing session Ayahuasca ceremony Obeah in Jamaica

Countries

KindTradition Rite Charm Oracle Substance Being Figure Text Illusion Belief

PurposeProtection Healing Seeing and foretelling Luck and prosperity Love and attraction Cursing and harm Cleansing and purification Speaking with spirits and the dead Change and initiation Binding and oaths Power and authority Wonder and entertainment

WhoShamans Folk healers Priests and ritual specialists Witches, sorcerers and cunning folk Diviners and readers Mediums and the possessed Ceremonial magicians and alchemists Households and ordinary people Stage magicians Scholars and sceptics

BeliefHindu and Tantric Buddhist Jain Muslim and Sufi Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian Shinto and Taoist Indigenous and shamanic African and Afro-diasporic Pagan and Neopagan Esoteric and occult Folk and village custom Secular and stage Other traditions

OccasionWeddings and betrothal Festivals Birth and childhood Death and remembrance Harvest, farming and weather New year Initiation and coming of age Illness and misfortune Journeys and voyages Everyday use

StandingLiving Revived Fading Historical Legendary Performed

OrderBest known A to Z Newest Living first

🇵🇪 Peru and 1 moreChullachaqui A one-footed forest spirit of the Amazon that lures or challenges humansBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary

🇨🇱 ChileTrauco A small forest spirit from Chiloé mythology known for seducing women and causing pregnancyBeing · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇨🇴 Colombia and 1 moreTunda A shapeshifting entity from the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador that lures people into the forest.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 moreCurupira A backwards-footed forest guardian from Brazilian indigenous myth who punishes loggers and misleads travelers.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico and 5 moreChupacabrachupacabras A legendary creature said to drain livestock of blood, emerging from Puerto Rico in the mid-1990sBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇲🇽 MexicoChaneque Mexican folklore sprites that guard nature and homesBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇻🇪 Venezuela and 1 moreEl Silbón A Venezuelan and Colombian legend of a cursed spirit who carries his father's bones.Figure · Cursing and harm · Seeing and foretelling Legendary

🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 moreMapinguari A hairy Amazonian monster with a belly mouth and backwards feetBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreSihuanaba A shapeshifting spirit that lures men with beauty before revealing a monstrous faceBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇻🇪 VenezuelaSayona A vengeful Venezuelan ghost who hunts men for breaking marital vowsFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇲🇽 MexicoCamazotz A bat spirit of the Maya underworld linked to night, death, and sacrificeBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary

🇲🇽 MexicoAhuizotlāhuitzotl A legendary Aztec water creature said to lure people to their deathsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇨🇴 ColombiaPatasola A Colombian jungle monster that lures men with beauty before revealing a one-legged formBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇧🇷 BrazilMinhocão A giant aquatic worm or fish from Brazilian folklore blamed for earthquakes and animal disappearancesBeing Legendary 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic and 1 moreCiguapa A back-footed forest spirit of the Dominican Republic known for seduction and jealousyBeing · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Legendary 🇧🇷 BrazilBoiúna A powerful river serpent from Amazonian mythology that shifts shape to guard its watersBeing Legendary

🇵🇾 ParaguayAo Ao A Guarani mythic beast that hunts humans and frightens children in ParaguayBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇲🇽 MexicoWerejaguar A supernatural figure from Olmec art, blending human and jaguar traits.Being · Power and authority · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary 🇨🇱 Chile and 1 moreCuerotrülke wekufü An aquatic creature from Mapuche and Chilote myth that drags victims into the depths.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇨🇱 ChileCamahueto A one-horned river bull from Chilote folklore that drags people to the seaBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇧🇷 BrazilCapelobo A Brazilian monster with a long snout that feeds on blood and brainsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago and 1 moreDouen A faceless creature with backwards feet from Trinidad and Tobago folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇨🇱 Chile and 1 moreImbuncheifünche A deformed child-monster of Chilote folklore that guards a warlock's cave and serves as an instrument of curse.Figure · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary 🇨🇱 ChileWarlock of Chiloébrujo chilote A legendary network of sorcerers from the Chilean archipelago and their mythical powers.Belief · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary 🇧🇷 BrazilBestial beastBesta-fera A centaur-like creature in Brazilian folklore thought to be the Devil.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago and 2 moreMama D'Leau A river spirit of the Caribbean islands who protects aquatic life and heals people.Being · Healing · Protection Legendary 🇨🇴 Colombia and 1 moreLa Bolefuego A fiery apparition from the Llanos that hunts travelers and avoids prayer.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇨🇱 ChilePincoya A Chilotan sea spirit whose dance predicts the catch of fish and seafood.Being · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary 🇧🇷 BrazilLobisomem A South American shape-shifter born from family fate or sin, often linked to the full moon.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇨🇱 Chile and 1 moreKalku A Mapuche sorcerer who works with negative powers and malevolent spiritsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇹 Guatemala and 1 moreEl Sombrerón A tall, hat-wearing figure from Guatemalan legend who courts young women and haunts neighborhoods at dusk.Figure · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇨🇱 Chile and 1 moreGiant Mythic humanoids of immense size and strength found in global folklore and ancient textsFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇸🇻 El Salvador and 2 moreCipitío A perpetual child spirit of Mesoamerica known for mischief and reversed feetFigure · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary 🇬🇾 Guyana and 1 moreBaccoo A half-wood spirit from Guyanese and Surinamese folklore that serves as a mercenary or a haunting presence.Being · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary

🇨🇴 ColombiaMohan A forest spirit and ancestor soul in Colombian Indigenous folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary 🇧🇷 BrazilRomãozinho A cursed immortal boy from Brazilian folklore who never grows and causes mischief.Figure · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Maya mythology: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Mohan: Sanjuan, Public domain, source
Pincoya: Paul Lowry, CC BY 2.0, source
Trauco: Seo2 (Cristian), CC BY 2.0, source
Chullachaqui: LLs, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Chaneque: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Sihuanaba: Orlando Callejas, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Ahuizotl: Infrogmation, New Orleans, Public domain, source
Ao Ao: Cowboymax, CC0, source
Werejaguar: Ruben Charles, ( http://www.rubencharles.com ), CC BY 2.0, source
Camahueto: Rjcastillo, CC BY 4.0, source
Capelobo: Di (they-them), CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Imbunche: Lufke, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Mapinguari: Lauro Iyambae (@Aptix_4p0clix), CC0, source
El Silbón: María Auxiliadora Ramírez Prato, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Giant: Attributed to Francisco Goya, Public domain, source
Chupacabra: Dick Langer, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Curupira: Sturm, CC BY-SA 4.0, source