Evil eye is also a risk to my baby, not just goblins. This morning over breakfast Hernan and his mother explained how one can get evil eye and what one has to do to get cured.
Babies are very vulnerable to the evil eye. Certain individuals, just by looking at a baby, can make him sick..
Hernan recounted how he was once cured of the eye affliction. When he was a boy he came down with an assortment of evil eye symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness. He was carried down the street to where “Goya” sells tacos. She took him in her arms and made the sign of the cross in reverse over his wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, legs, face, mouth, head and torso, and back. Apparently she repeated making the sign of the cross in reverse over all these parts. Then she puffed on her cigar and blew the smoke in his face in the sign of the cross in reverse, and then did the same over his whole body. Then she had him drink something that contained alcohol and tobacco (and who knows what else). After this, he was able to walk home alone, fell asleep, and woke up feeling fine.
My mother-in-law explained that while she didn’t really believe in the evil eye, it was much cheaper to go down the street to Goya than to bus to Jocotepec and pay a doctor. She said she doesn’t know why, but on various occasions her kids were cured in this way. She said, “And why not go there first? If sometimes it worked and only cost 5 or 10 pesos. If they stayed sick, well then I would take them to the doctor, but since sometimes going to Goya worked, why not try that first?”
Fair enough.
Goya still cures evil eye in this way. I can’t say, though, I’ll be using her services if Hanix comes down with something. I think we’ll try the doctor first. I have reservations about giving my baby tobacco and alcohol.
That's really interesting. Don't freak out or anything, but my mom studies (and believes in) shamanic medicine, and she says that a major role of the shaman is to dramatize people's problems for them, connect them into a symbology that they can understand and engage with, such that they get the benefits of their own ability to heal (kinda like the placebo effect, I guess). Are you depressed? It's an evil spirit. Sick? It's the Evil Eye. You go through a ritual to correct these things, you believe it works, and there ya go. Although actually I don't know how an uncomprehending little baby would get this effect...maybe it works on the mom.
ReplyDeleteAlso, when I was a kid I had a friend who was Mexican, and sometimes I would spend the night at her house. Before we went to sleep, she would use her hands to make signs over our faces and bodies--not just the Catholic "crossing yourself", but something else. I think it was to protect us from the Evil Eye or similar.
Hi! I found your blog through Amanda, from the Border's Aside blog. I just had to comment on this evil eye thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe in it. But many, many Mexicans do. This is why perfect strangers will walk up to you and touch your baby. They believe if they don't touch the baby, he or she will get the evil eye! So, don't be too scared when people touch your baby, they are only trying to protect him!