Mal de Ojo

"Mal de ojo" or "evil eye," is a folk illness primarily affecting children, with infants being particularly vulnerable. This supernaturual belief holds that an admiring look or a stare can weaken the child, leading to bad luck, sickness and even death.

Infliction of mal de ojo is not normally intentional. Treatment and prevention varies according to region. For example, in Mexico it is thought that the person admiring the child can prevent the malady by touching the child. On the other hand, in the Carribean touching the child is believed to aggravate the problem. A common cure is to pass a raw egg over the child to absorb the negative energy.

Other Resources

More Topics

  1. Caida de la Mollera
  2. Confianza
  3. Curanderismo
  4. El Decaimiento
  5. El Empacho
  6. Formal or Familiar?
  7. Hispanics in the USA
  8. Hispanic or Latino?
  9. The Latino Family
  10. Mal de Aire
  11. Mal de Ojo
  12. Susto

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