Blog Post: Mal de Ojo # 1

         The Mal de Ojo,  is best known as the evil eye. To my understanding it's an illness, or as others would call it, a hex. This illness commonly affects children and on some occasion it affects women. To get Mal de Ojo, a child has been admired or envied by an adult, it is usually caused unintentionally. The child begins showing symptoms like fever, headache, and having a hard time sleeping. I was about eight years old when I was introduced to the practice of curing Mal de Ojo.  All I remember was there was this strange lady (curandera) taking a normal egg and rubbing it over every inch of my body while mumbling words in Spanish. The practice lasted about fifteen minutes. I'll I remember thinking was what is she doing to me and why are my parents letting her touch me all over. I also remember feeling scared, anxious and unsure what was coming next. To this day I am still unsure if the Mal de Ojo is a true illness or not. I personally never practiced this ritual with my own children. One thing is for sure, I am afraid to question its authenticity. I would never say it's not true out loud and as far as I know I will never have to.

Blog Post: Mal de Ojo # 2

        According to Marcia Carteret, with Mexican folk website, history tells us that Mal de Ojo is strongly believed in the Hispanic cultures. Mal de Ojo is a folk illness that typically affects children. It is believe to be cause by a spell from receiving a gaze from a more powerful or stronger person expressing an abundance of envy or admiration to a child. Most of the people do not even realize what they have done. The infected child may show signs of head ache, fever, and not being able to fall asleep. To cure the Mal de Ojo, Carl Hoogesterger of Hispanic folk illnesses website says the most effective cure is to have the person responsible for causing the illness come and touch the child as soon as possible. If the person cannot be located, some people find an acurandera (witch doctor) to perform a ritual with an egg. First, the would rub the egg all over the body with prayer. Next, the egg is cracked into a glass of water covered by a rosary or straw layed in a cross symbol. The egg is then placed beneath the bed, directly under the head of the child overnight. In the morning the egg is checked to see if the child in fact had Mal de Ojo and had been cured. If the egg appeared cooked or the yolk appeared to have an image of an eye after the ritual, it is believed that the child was given Mal de Ojo. After the ritual has been completed the egg is examined, if it is curdled, then the child had Mal de Ojo.  After the child is cured the egg is disposal of.

Carteret, Marcia. "Folk Illnesses and Remedies in Latino Communities | 

Folk Illnesses and Remedies in Latino Communities | Dimensions of Culture. N.p., 2011. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dimensionsofculture.com/2010/10/folk-illnesses-and-remedies-in-latino-communities/>.



Hoogesteger, Carl. "Mal De Ojo." Mal De Ojo. N.p., 2008. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://altmed.creighton.edu/MexicanFolk/mal_de_ojo.htm>.

N.p., n.d. Web- Picture.

Blog Post: Mal de Ojo # 3

         An interview featuring Arturo Vasquez, speaking with world press was published on you tube on March 3, 2011. This video included footage of women that believed there was no medical doctor who could cure their children of the fever and illness that had taken over their bodies. The women believed that their children suffered from Mal de Ojo and needed to be cured by a spiritual healer or a curandera. They wanted an a curandero to performed ritual using an egg and prayer. In another article by Silvia Casabianca posted March 19 2012, a child showing symptoms of fever, diarrhea, and trouble sleeping can be the signs of Mal de Ojo. And most cases the cure is simply asking the person who gave the evil eye or hex to come and touch the infected child on the head to cure them.  In some incidents adult women have received Mal de Ojo, the illness symptoms are basically the same fever, diarrhea, headaches, and trouble sleeping.  To cure the Mal de Ojo, in an adult women they to will have to receive a touch from the person who gave them the hex or have a curandera perform a ritual.

       Vasquez, Arturo. "Reditus." Reditus. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012.                       <http://arturovasquez.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/el-mal-de-ojo-ii/>.  



Casabianca, Silvia. "Curanderos and 'mal De Ojo', an Everyday Reality in Latin America."

 Curanderos and 'mal De Ojo', an Everyday Reality in Latin America. N.p., 19 Mar. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://www.voxxi.com/curanderos-and-mal-de-ojo-an-everyday-reality-for-many-in-latin-america-vhealth/>.

 

 

 

Blog Post: Mal de Ojo # 4

      After reading several articles including one by Anthro Palomar and another by David Acosta, I don't believe there is enough evidence to prove that Mal de Ojo is a true sickness. After research shows that they are no medical diagnose cases of Mal de Ojo. Also the ceradena are not licensed or certified to treat any known illness. I could not find any proven facts that having the person who caused the hex cured the child by simply touching them. It seems to be more of a superstition cultural belief then something a proven fact. This phenomena is a culture belief that is past down from generation to generation. The bottom line is this Mal de Ojo is a true illness if that is what you were raised to believe. People outside the Hispanic culture are skeptical about this phenomenon because it is not medically proven.

Palomar, Anthro. "Medical Anthropology: Explanations of Illness." Medical Anthropology: Explanations of Illness. N.p., 12 July 2006. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://anthro.palomar.edu/medical/med_1.htm>.

 Acosta, David. "Traditional Illnesses in Latinos." Traditional Illnesses in Latinos. University of Washington, 24 Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://faculty.washington.edu/dacosta/HHP/module13/tradillnesses.html>.



Blog Post: Mal de Ojo # 5

       I personally have gone through this ritual and as scary as it was I do not believe it cured my ear ache.  However, it did scare the pain right out of me.  I was upset with my mother for not taking me to a doctor and putting me through an experience I did not understand.  I'm sure many children feel that their privacy was invaded while going through the ritual, as I did.  I also remembered telling myself that I would reject any medicines she was going to give me.  Mal de Ojo was not my belief, it was my grandmothers.  It is a culture belief that I choose not to pass on to my children.