Evil Eye and Magic Plants in the Arribes del Duero (Salamanca-Zamora, Spain): A Review of the Literature

José Antonio González,Mónica García-Barriuso,Francisco Amich

doi:10.3989/rdtp.2011.13

José Antonio González, Mónica García-Barriuso + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3989/rdtp.2011.13

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Abstract

We performed a review of the literature referring to the existence of plant remedies against the evil eye in the Arribes del Duero (western part of the provinces of Salamanca and Zamora, CW Spain), an area very isolated up to the mid-twentieth century. A total of 20 vascular plant species are mentioned. The preventive remedies are in particular associated with key moments in the religious calendar. On Palm Sunday, bunches made of olive tree, laurel and/or rosemary are blessed and then placed on window sills to protect people’s homes, and during the celebration of St. John’s Bonfire aromatic plants are burned. The traditional use of plants to repel witches, such as those plants being hung behind the doors of houses and stables, and the rituals for curing people, animals and even possessions were also compiled.

Highlights

Belief in the existence of witches and in the mal de ojo, is still deeply rooted in one sector of the Spanish population, which is highly specific as regards age and cultural level (e.g. Baer et al 2006: passim)
We performed a review of the large body of literature referring to the existence of plant remedies against witches and the evil eye in the Arribes del Duero area in the recent past
Holy water, so entrenched in religious rites, was undoubtedly the preventive and curative remedy most widely used in all villages of the Arribes del Duero

Summary

Introduction

Belief in the existence of witches and in the mal de ojo (evil eye), is still deeply rooted in one sector of the Spanish population, which is highly specific as regards age and cultural level (people with basic studies and more than 70 years) (e.g. Baer et al 2006: passim). In the central-western part, the territory known as the Arribes del Duero (western part of the provinces of Salamanca and Zamora, Fig. 1), an area removed from others and very isolated up to the mid-twentieth century (Morán 1946: 138; Pascual 2009: 39), is a good example In this interesting area, the collective memory of the inhabitants has a strong and deep-set recall of witches (Panero 2005: 114-120; Blanco 2009: 50; González 2010: passim). Asocial conduct is recorded as a characteristic trait of witches; they are rancorous and vengeful They are known to be able to shape-change at will, mainly into animals and into whirlwinds (Blanco 1992: 59-77; Panero 2005: 113; González 2010: passim). All these features and the existence of stories about the stealing, mistreatment, and murder of newborn babies directly link the Arribes witches with the witch figure in Early Modern Spain (see Campagne 2008: passim)

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