Curandero, Brujo, Witch, & Wiccan: Conflation & Defamation

While reading through the discussion board of an online Curanderismo class I'm taking offered by the University of New Mexico, I came across a thought provoking thread on the terms 'Witch' and 'Brujo' in relation to the healing practices of Mexico and other indigenous people's of the Americas. There were many good points on both sides and passions ran high.  It began when one of the instructors, who self identifies as a Curandera, separated herself from 'witchcraft' and 'brujas'.  She told of how as a spiritual and herbal healer she had been called a 'puta' (equivalent to English bitch, slut, or whore) and a 'bruja' (witch, sorceress).  She was visibly uncomfortable and strongly asserted she is not these things.  As this is an extremely large online class open to students around the world, there of course are those who practice various modern Witchcraft, Shamanic, and Pagan religions. Some took offense.  I know I was a bit put off but was willing to listen and consider. The thread ran in many tangents. Some claimed all herbal and energetic workers were Witches and that all terms that could be translated as 'witch' needed to be reclaimed for positive uses. Other felt all 'witches' were Satanic. There was plenty of misinformation about the various African Diaspora Traditions and synchretic Catholic elements.  There were well founded requests for European descended practitioners to respect indigenous definitions of their own terms and to avoid conflating them with modern Wiccan understandings. I had this creeping sensation that all the lines we draw in the sand are so temporary and not worth drawing blood over...  One aspect of stepping into another culture to learn is setting aside your own cultural assumptions and really listen with fresh eyes and ears.  The cross comparisons, the conflation and appropriation, the act of labeling others and ourselves- this is not why we are here but seems like such an ubiquitous human impulse.

Before going any further with my discussion I would like to deeply thank the Elders and Teachers in the Curanderismo class who have taken the effort to open their traditions to outsiders.  It is unprecedented and a true gift. Their efforts to create a form of wholistic health combining modern Western medicine with traditional herbal knowledge and techniques takes its cue from the success of Chinese medicine which has done the same on a very large scale.  We saw that many Curanderos are using elements of Chinese medicine within their own practices. In fact, the Mayan's had their own ancient form of fire cupping and scraping similar to Chinese cupping and gua sha and so these elements meld easily.  This approach has been refreshing after listening to rants about cultural, magickal, and racial purity. A distinct tradition exists but if it is living and breathing, it grows, adapts, and overcomes. The class has just been a joy to take.

Curanderismo class website: https://class.coursera.org/traditionalmedicine-001
The specific thread in question: https://class.coursera.org/traditionalmedicine-001/forum/thread?thread_id=194

So my response to the instructor's comment, the original thread poster's question, and all the bugaloo following:  I was initially really astounded by the instructor's aggressive attitude toward being called a 'bruja'. The open distaste as she spat out the word bothered me. But it demonstrated that she, like the majority of other Hispanic and Native people, agrees with the definition of brujo as evil.  So what is this 'evil' that brujos are supposedly doing, that Curanderos are separating themselves from?  I know Curanderos who do blocking, binding, removal, and send back work- all defensive and occasionally offensive movements of energy. I also know many who will give spells to help criminals be invisible, help to steal other people's spouses, to get your boss fired, etc. You can walk into any of the 20 + botanicas in my city and ask for this.  Those all could be defined as negative workings. The difference between a Curandero & a Brujo is really semantics. The Brujos I know locally laugh at it. Still I'm very cautious with any attempt as an outsider to reclaim the word 'brujo' for 'good'. I know workers within the cultural context who are and that is their struggle. However, I think as a student I have a legitimate complaint. Any teacher in this course must know on some level that within the hundreds of online students taking it, some herbalist or spiritual worker will be identifying themselves as 'witch'. Why alienate them by singling out that word in your introduction video?

I am a working Witch. I provide services, ritual art, and hand made organic herbal goods for both spiritual and physical cleansing. This is both my Spiritual Path and how I make a modest living. I actually do a lot of work on trade. I have strong personal ethical code and have turned down negative work on many occasions. No breaking marriages and no spirits in bottles. I do believe any worker has the right to defend themselves and their clients, which may manifest as either defensive (blocking and removing what has already been sent) or offensive (reaching out to bind one from doing harm or sending that ugly energy back to it's source).

I have multiple forms of praxis but am largely informed by Southern style Conjure and Traditional Witchcraft, Hedge and Sabbatic varieties.  The healing energy in plants, both genuinely therapeutic and the imbued anima, are my main form of expression. Taking the Curanderismo course has expanded my knowledge of the physically therapeutic aspect of native plants in my region of the Southwest.  I do plan to continue in my herbal studies after completing this course.

The majority of my clients are Hispanic Catholics.  I have a few regular Caucasian Pagan and Protestant African American clients as well.  I respect the very different views that each of these populations comes to me with.  I use 'Witch' regardless of the cultural baggage associated with it bc it best describes what I do- I 'see' (Witta- witness, witty, wisdom) and I 'bend' (Wicca- wicker, wicked, whittle).  My work is fairly shamanic but I don't refer to myself with that term (it has it's own special baggage centered around cultural appropriation and the New Age). Hispanic people will often ask if I am a 'white witch' or a 'bruja'.  I do not work in distinct fields of black or white- energy is like water in Nature, both destructive and creative, killing us in floods or feeding us with rain on our seeds.  I usually say I am a 'Green Witch' meaning a natural Witch.  I've had people seek my services but still insist I'm going to hell.  That is their cultural perception, not mine.

I did have one run in with local members of a biker club, which will remain unnamed.  They had wanted the same flea market stall I was in but I had offered the rent first that morning.  I was warned by nearby merchants to be careful. 4 large members of the local chapter walked by a few times then came in gruffly asking who I was and what I was doing in that stall.  I told them I was a Witch and discussed a bit of what I sold. One of the guys looked at the others and said 'Bruja'. They left without saying anything else. Later that week my brother got a call from a friend of his who is a club member.  He was freaking out about the whole thing, very concerned for me. He couldn't believe I was 'the Witch' because he had been over at our house for dinner a few times and it was never mentioned.  Our house looks like a very good Catholic home downstairs- my private world is upstairs.

Both the words 'Bruja' and 'Witch' have real power in Hispanic culture. This is much more than just wearing fairy jewelry and flitting around festivals in your sparkles. This can lead to ostracism, people not doing business with or renting to you, job loss, unfriendly neighbors, death threats- there is a real level of fear and willingness to take action against perceived magickal threats that most Caucasian Wiccans will never have to face. There are also strong associations between witchcraft and the violence of drug cartels.  I've had to talk to my mom about publicly outing me at local Bar-B-Q's and adverting my services at her work place. While she is just proud to have a daughter that is different and a family that is progressively respectful of diverse religions, how the word 'witch' sounds on our Hispanic neighbor's, in-laws, and coworker's ears is not to be underestimated. It's one thing to whip up a batch of green rice for ladies playing bingo. It's an entirely different playing field when they come over with a cow tongue and jar of nails to deal with their gossipy coworker.  I don't want my mom associated with any of that or be targeted by fearful people. The majority of people we live and work with are Hispanic. I've married into a Mexican American family. We have to respect these beliefs. In another incident, I was stopped from drinking out of my cup at work one night because a security guard saw a coworker put powder in it when I stepped away.  She wrongly felt I had worked against her and consulted a local Brujo on how to 'destroy me'.  Such an ugly cycle to get caught in. Needless to say, I dealt with it successfully and she is out of my life.  I think this is the type of negativity and fear that the instructor of the Curandero course was trying to separate herself from.  In that regard, I completely understand.

Interestingly, I have some of the loveliest Brujo friends. Very wonderful people. They have claimed the word for themselves and also accept the English word Witch.  These are Spanish speaking Mexicans living in the US. They barely speak English- my point being I'm not sure there is a case to be made that they are influenced by European varieties of Wicca and Caucasian reclamations of the word 'witch'.  Between my conversations with them as well as a few other Brujeros online, they feel that they are doing much the same work as Curanderos.  When I asked what the difference is they say that there really isn't much, just a perception by outsiders of 'good' or 'bad'. They discussed Curanderos who do take on defensive and offensive work beyond merely healing. They also rejected the notion that a brujo is essentially 'evil'.

This does not deny the fact that there are many Hispanic followers of the new religion 'Wicca', which came to the Americas in the 1950's via various British authors.  Some of these folks do equate a Brujo with a "Wiccano".  Many of the popular mainstream Wiccan books being pumped out by Llewellyn are now translated into Spanish and readily available.  There are also many pulp pamphlets and booklets in the botanicas containing a mix of Catholic folk magick, Hoodoo, and Granny Magick. These do not contain a shred of Wiccan elements.  Any resemblance between them is the result of both groups drawing from Ceremonial Magick; hence the sigils, pentacles, and zodiac. Wicca of course completely leaves out the psalms and other Abrahamic elements.  I would argue that while traditional Brujeria is from a totally different cultural base than European derived Wicca, there is a growing trend blurring these lines.  That sounds like a fantastic thesis on synchretic new religious movements for some young grad student.

Here is one example of a psychic site equating the two systems. http://www.tarot-806.org/por-que-soy-brujo-wiccano-en-tarot-806/

Here is Spanish Wiccan shop offering "produtos e artigos Wiccanos" http://www.wiccaworkshop.com.br/wicca.htm

Here is a Bruherio book, how much Wiccan influence it has, I'm not sure but I will try and get a copy to see if this is so.  The description: "El presente manual ofrece a lector una variada y sencilla selección de fórmulas, conjuros, hechizos y encantamientos, para lograr los más diversos objectivos a través de los enormes poderes de la brujería: Cómo curar y evitar enfermedades, cómo alcanzar el amor, cómo obtener trabajo, Qué hacer para tener buena suerte, cómo alejar a personas indeseables, que hacer para librarse de maldiciones, salaciones, envidias y mal de ojo."

This is my quick translation, forgive any glaring mistakes- my Spanish needs some work! "The present manual offers a lecture of various selections of formulas, conjurations, and enchantments for diverse objectives largely used by the brujeria. How to cure and evict sickness, how to draw love, how to obtain a job. How to make good luck, how to make a person __?, and how to free from maledictions (curses), gossip, envy, and evil eye".

This site combines the author's interests in both Mexican Brujeria and American Conjure and Hoodoo traditions.  The folk magick elements & Christian veneer in Southern Conjure are probably much closer to brujeria ways than Neo-Paganism and Wicca.  http://www.brujonegrobrujeria.com/page/page/716732.htm

In the Daily Wicca blog, there is a vague attempt to understand Brujeria on its own terms.  Many eclectic Wiccans will probably be fascinated by this new 'exotic' element to add flavor to their rituals, completely oblivious to the offense taken by such outside appropriation. I would suggest that if you are going to call yourself such, you should be studying under a true Elder in the tradition.  http://dailywicca.com/2011/06/05/brujeria/

I have also come across very ignorant but well meaning Wiccans who used 'brujo/a' to refer to themselves.  The first time was at a Samhain costume party in Ohio. I wasn't sure what her point was beyond 'all witches of the world must unite' but I was pretty sure that the term she was using was not appropriate for her. Still I kept it to myself.  Years later I made my way back home to Texas and ran into someone wearing a Brujo t-shirt at a metaphysical festival.  A psychic at a nearby table, an older Hispanic lady, pointed her out. She was a local Wiccan I had met a few times, with fairy earrings, a large pentacle, and a red 'Proud to be a Bruja' t-shirt. The girl meant no harm but she was warned to take the shirt off because of 'expectations of what she should be able to do'.  The girl was confused and embarrassed and I felt for her. Considering the type of actions some of my Hispanic clients have asked me to do, I don't think your average festival going Wiccan or Celtic Neo-Pagan is up to it (although I'm sure the Scottish and Irish curse traditions work just fine- these elements of the full magickal tradition aren't generally found in the 'self- initiated' eclectic American Wiccan scene, in fact being frowned upon by the fluffier elements).

It seems unwise for people outside of Hispanic cultures to either appropriate the word 'brujo' for themselves or try to force a redefinition of the word within Spanish traditions, mirroring their own reclamation of European based Witchcraft. I in no way impose my definition of 'witch' upon another culture. I also wouldn't insist a healer carry the term 'witch' if they do not find it useful or accurate.  Their are healers, diviners, wise people, shamans, sorcerers, singers, priests, and all other manner of spiritual people throughout the world using their own cultural terms. We all tap into the same Universal Source.  I think a healthy respect for one another and avoiding disparaging remarks about any term a practitioner wishes to identify with is the best way to move forward and learn.

How to burn granular resin and other loose Incense

 Smoke carries our energy, prayers, and petitions upwards to the Gods and the sweet scents are most pleasing to them.

 "But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto Her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty..."

Like most who have been raised Catholic, the smell of frankincense brings back memories of heavy white clouds of incense rolling through somber Church services, sitting on hard backed wooden pews and trying not to fidget under mother's watchful eye as the priest intones his prayers whilst splashing holy water about.  When I left the church after my second year in college, I greatly missed the peace and the sanctity of ritual.  I craved that moment when you felt outside of yourself, in connection with something so much greater.  The scent of incense always brought it crashing back to me.  Cheap incense is burned in copious amounts throughout the dorms, flats, and dingy apartments across our campuses.  Kids experiment with new spiritual traditions and various mind altering chemicals.  Buddha statues, puffing dragon burners, Ganesh t-shirts... all part of the scene.  The scent of genuine incense always transported me beyond either kitschy college experimentation or the droll worldly authority of the church.  Flickering candles, sanctified water, and perfumed air... I was trained to be a Witch before I even knew what it meant to be of the Craft.

Although I do have a few longtime favorite incense stick brands, I much prefer to work with raw natural resins.  I go out of my searching for organic fair trade resin incense, having several varieties from different regions in my collection.  Some are so expensive and precious that I might only burn a bit once a year.  I've learned how to make traditional Egyptian Kapet, or Kyphi as the Greeks called it.  These heavily scented resin pellets take many days to manufacture, adding one ingredient a day.  I also make several types of herbed incense blends, combining granular resin, aromatic woods, dried spices, flowers, and essential oils for specific purposes.

Resins incense is obtained from barks, saps, roots or woods in their natural form. Resins will not burn on their own. They require charcoal and a heat resistant burner.  Some plants need to properly dry before being burned.  You can also add drops of essential oils to granular resin, wood, or dried herbs before burning to layer scent and energy.

Burners made of soapstone or clay readily disperse heat.  Metal versions in brass, copper, or iron are fine too but be very careful about handling them as they hold the heat.  Although many Witches prefer to use little black iron cauldron, I generally use a Mayan style clay bowl with a short thin leg under it that I can easily handle and move about the room with.

There are many brands of charcoal tablets but I like swift-lite.  These can be ordered online or found locally in Christian stores, metaphysical shops, smoke shops, hookah cafes, and middle eastern grocers. Usually I will break a tablet in half or even quarters. Again a little goes a long way.

Fill the burner with a bed of sand, rice, or rock to absorb the heat.  I've made lovely colored censor sands using aquarium ingredients, marbles, & crystals.  

Place the burner on a protective surface that is nonflammable and heat resistant.  Marble coasters, flat rocks, or porcelain tiles will protect the tabletop surface from the heat. If burring stick or cone incense go ahead and place lit incense on or in the rocks. If burning resin incense, light the charcoal and once the spark has traversed the entire charcoal and the briquette is glowing hot (you can tell by blowing on it a little), it's time for the resin to be placed on the charcoal. You can also put a layer of table salt over the charcoal to reduce the heat, slowing the burning process to produce a heavier fragrance. Start by burning a very small amount of resin at a time as this type of incense can smoke more heavily than powdered herbs or stick incense.  A little will go a long way. Then add more as desired. For beginners, I recommend starting the process outdoors, or on the stove top under the exhaust fan to control the amount of incense fragrance and smoke being released. 

At no time should you touch the charcoal briquette once lit.  It is very hot and will burn you. If you need to move the charcoal once lit, us tongs, or a metal spoon or fork. Be cautious when touching or moving the soapstone container during or after the charcoal has been burning on it. Be aware of how hot the bottom of the burner is getting so that it does not damage the surface it is on. If the bottom is hot, you need to add more non-flammable material such as rice, rocks or sand. Or put a thicker barrier between the bottom of the burner and your surface.  

I suggest beginning with frankincense.  It is readily available, has a range of prices, and burns easily.  You can then begin to sample myrrh, benzoin, dragons blood, copal, and any number of other types of resin.  Consider what you have in your own environment. Pine sap and green juniper cones are very fragrant.  Learn the associations, the energies, and the history of different resins.  Far from being simply a 'dressing' on a ritual, the resin can lead to deeper understanding within any working.  They come from living plants and are a gift to us.

Working with Mountain Laurel- a toxic beauty

Earlier in Spring I collected Texas Mountain Laurel flower cuttings and a bucket of Chittamwood berries.
As with any plant, there are both positive and negative aspects.  No herb is entirely 'baneful'.  The flowers of the mountain laurel offer the sweetest poison temptation, so fragrant yet so toxic.  How would I use such a misleading plant?  The sensuality and sheer beautiful energy of this tree can be worked with if done so in care.  Incense, simmering oils, candles, inks, dried wreaths, amulets, and ritual kindling bundles are all possibilities.

"Beyond their functions as agents of bodily harm, poisons have also served as gateways of religious ecstasy, occult knowledge, and sensorial aberration, as well as the basis of cures"  -Daniel A. Schulke

For the mountain laurel oil base I separated the heavily scented petals and stamens with orange pollen from the green stems. The flowers smell like the sweetest grape bubblegum but the wood puts off a heavy stink.  Remember, do NOT use anything crafted from mountain laurel topically or ingest it without the guidance of properly trained herbalists.  Even honey made with these sweet flowers can be deleterious.  There are cases where toxins ingested by pheasants eating the berries and foliage were then passed on to hunters eating their catch.  The medicinal uses according to Mrs. Grieve of Botanical.com:

"---Constituents---Leaves possess narcotic poisoning properties and contain tannic acid, gum, fatty matter, chlorophyll, a substance resembling mannite, wax extractive, albumen, an acrid principle, Aglucosidearbutin, yellow calcium iron.
---Medicinal Action and Uses---Indians are said to use the expressed juice of the leaves or a strong decoction of them to commit suicide. The leaves are the official part; powdered leaves are used as a local remedy in some forms of skin diseases, and are a most efficient agent in syphilis, fevers, jaundice, neuralgia and inflammation, but great care should be exercised in their use. Whisky is the best antidote to poisoning from this plant. An ointment for skin diseases is made by stewing the leaves in pure lard in an earthenware vessel in a hot oven. Taken internally it is a sedative and astringent in active haemorrhages, diarrhoea and flux. It has a splendid effect and will be found useful in overcoming obstinate chronic irritation of the mucous surface. In the lower animals an injection produces great salivation, lachrymation, emesis, convulsions and later paralysis of the extremities and laboured respiration. It is supposed, but not proved, that the poisonous principle of this plant is Andromedotoxin.
---Preparations and Dosages---A saturated tincture of the leaves taken when plant is in flower, is the best form of administration, given in doses of 10 to 20 drops every two or three hours. Decoction, 1/2 to 1 fluid ounce of powdered leaves from 10 to 30 grains. Salve made from juice of the plant is an efficient local application for rheumatism." 
 http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/l/laumou12.html
  
The first step in making Mountain Laurel oil, soaking the petals in a light olive oil with a touch of rum. This will sit in a dark space to be shaken every few days for a few weeks. Then the botanical parts will be strained and I can work with the oil in various ways.

Crafting amulet bottles is one way to interact with and hear the voice of such plants.  I have crafted these type of vial pendants using oil or dried herbs along with various curios. Both of the pendants below carry the leaves of bitter nightshade.

This tree is a beautiful evergreen that can grow to 25 feet.  It has lustrous green pinnate leaves and fragrant wisteria-like flowers that drop down in pink or purple bunches.  It is extremely hardy and does well in my zone 8 and 9 yard.  It is tough, extremely drought tolerant, disease free, and has outstanding ornamental qualities. Studies show that it requires less than ½ the amount of water than a Crepe Myrtle tree requires, making it an ideal xeriscape plant.

The seeds from native Texas Mountain Laurel trees were of great value to native American Indians in the region. They were worked into ornamental jewelry as beads, and reportedly a strand of these seeds could be traded for a horse.

Crafting Hedge Besoms with Sweetgrass and Spurge Weed

 Yesterday I made a variety of besoms ranging from 3ft to 1ft long.  A majority of the materials used are hand gathered either in my garden or in local fields.  I also added other fragrant dried herbs and grasses to them.  I took a few of my long sweetgrass braids and unbound them, which gave me the most delicious smelling grass waves to work with.  This larger example pictured above has a base of broom weed with sweetgrass and lichen covered twigs.  Wild dove and guinea fowl feathers, vintage lace, as well as a bronzed triqueta finish the piece.

 Pictured below is a small example of common spurge weed that grows in my hard Texas clay soil.  They create very large low laying medallions that can be pulled up and tied into a tassel to dry.  If you cut or trim them while they are fresh, you will see a white milky sap called 'latex' ooze out of each tiny stem.  Not only does it make quite the sticky mess, it can cause skin irritation and is toxic in large amounts.  Use gloves or wait until plant has dried before trimming.  I tie these little bundles to various prepared sticks that I have collected- lime wood, rose wood, bougainvillea wood, live oak wood, butterfly bush wood... each with its own properties and associations.  I love the waving pattern of bougainvillea especially for a small altar broom.

 Burt the cat was not happy that I removed the spurge fluffs from his paws. He forgave me when I traded it for some freshly picked catnip.

Hag Stone Lore

What is a Hag Stone?

A Hag Stone is simply a stone with a natural hole through it.  In folk magic systems, these are often believed to ward off the dead, curses, witches, sickness, and nightmares. They are also used as windows or doorways to see 'otherworlds', invisible spirits, or how a being 'really' looks beyond their glamoury. I've been collecting such stones for many years now.  They have always been rare finds that I've treasured.  I've long kept a reddish sandstone piece that I found around Lake Erie when I was in my twenties.  Occasionally I think of tying it onto one of my staffs to sell but I just can't seem to part with it.  Recently, I've acquired several large hag stones however and will be offering some of these in our shop.  While helping a friend clean out an old garage I came across a window sill with a row of these.  I also found an old paint bucket full of them.  Then, not even a week later, I found 3 more laying around a grocery store parking lot.  Finally, in a trek down an old dry riverbed, I found loads of them - more than I could carry and even boulder sized hag stones!  I guess it was my time to look into the Otherworld.  On the full moon this month, I started doodling little designs and symbols on them, just working with the stone.

This is the riverbed area in McAllister Park, San Antonio TX that I found these in.

Warding Night Hags

In old Europe, this stone kept the "evil hag" spirit away in order to prevent her from stealing horses and children.  The hag stone is especially used as a favorite talisman by Cunning Folk to dispel the evil eye. Many people still hang this stone in bedrooms to prevent the succubus-hag from ridding on their chests during nightmares

The Nightmare by Johann Heinrich Füssli

Seeing into the land of the Fey

In Italian Witchcraft the holed stone is associated with fairies, and often referred as the holy stone. It is considered a doorway, or key to the doorway, into the fairy kingdom. It Italian folk magic, it is believed these stones have the power to bind a fairy to one's service for a length of time.

"I have also heard it said that if one looks through the actual hole of a hex stone then it is possible to see the piskies which normally are invisible to the human eye"

Sailors & Hagstones

In the UK, Dorset fisherman also adopted the Hag Stone as protective charm against malevolent witchcraft and still use it today.  Dr. H. Colley March in his article on "Witched Fishing Boats in Dorset" in Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, vol. X, pp .49- 50 (1906) interviewed a Abbotsbury fisherman about the custom of Hag Stones.

"Well within my remembrance, I think in the forties, certainly in the late thirties it was not uncommon for row-boats at Weymouth to have 'holy stones' tied to nails or staples in the bows, close beneath the gunwale. I once saw a man in the act of doing this at the quayside. Holy stones were beach-pebbles with a natural hole through them, such as are not uncommon among the shingle. Whether holy from having a hole through them, or from being sacred, or both, I know not.

Farmers & Hagstones

According to the Legendary Dartmoor page:  “If ever you happen to be around any old Dartmoor farm buildings you may possibly notice a small holed stone or pebble sat on a window ledge. Occasionally if the building has a lock with a key still in it there may well be a similar looking holed stone tied to the end of it. These are known as Hex, or more commonly elsewhere, as Hag Stones and their tradition dates back to the time when witches rode along the hedgerows at night. Amazingly enough, although no farmer today would admit to keeping such a stone for any superstitions reasons they will be hard pushed to part with one. In many cases the actual stone with a hole through it will be flint which means as such a stone is not naturally occurring on Dartmoor it was 'imported'. In a similar light the hex stone may well be a pebble which again had clearly been brought to the moor, probably after a visit to the seaside. Either way they were physically brought back to serve a special purpose and that was for protection from witches and witchcraft.

At one time there was a genuine fear that a local witch may cast an evil spell, or wisht on ones livestock. It may be that the spell ended up in the cows giving no milk or sour milk, possibly the result might be the hens stopped laying. If horses were on the farm there was a strong belief that witches stole them away at night and 'hag rode' them hard across the moor. When they re-appeared the next morning the poor beast would be in such a state that it was useless for any kind of work. Basically there was a whole range of 'nasties' that a witch could inflict on farm animals should her wrath be incurred. So to counteract any such witchcraft it was thought that a stone with a naturally weathered hole in it would, when placed in a byre, dairy or stable protect all the animals inside. Hence the reason that today you can still see the remnants of this tradition in some of the old farm buildings on the moor. Below is a photograph of one such stone that comes from an old farm building just outside Chagford. As can be seen this one resembles an animals skull for some strange reason, maybe this form afforded an even greater degree of protection."

Amulets

When worn around the neck a hex stone acted as an amulet and protected the wearer from the 'evil eye'. The theory being that anyone who attempted to use the the evil eye would have their attention drawn to the stone and therefore be unable to work their black magic. Around the Sheepstor area it was thought that wearing the hex stone would protect against the chances of being piskie-led. If anybody suffered from repeated nightmares the simple remedy was to hang a hex stone on the bedstead, its powers would then stop any visits from the 'Night Mare'.

"Some the nightmare hath prest,

With that weight upon their brest,

No returns of the breath can passe,

But to us the tale is addle,

We can take of her saddle,

And turn the night mare out to grasse."

 As if all the above was not enough it was often thought that rheumatic pains could be eased by placing a hex stone under the mattress. So all in all a hex stone was a very useful addition to the plethora of amulets often used in and around moorland farms for protection against the black arts. The belief in holed stones predates any historic traditions and probably stretches back into prehistoric times on Dartmoor with the huge stone known as th Tolmen stone, Teign-o-ver.

Numerous superstitions have grow around the stone and its curative powers. Again it is the belief in a naturally weathered holed stone only on this occasion it is much larger and has been 'holed' by the river Teign. The similarity between the Tolmen and Hex Stones is that by passing or looking through the hole one is seeing into or being transported to another realm, maybe the hole could be described as a portal between two worlds?

 By Grimdeva Oct. 30, 2012