The theme of this special Halloween edition of Cyrilmagazine is curses, a topic that is, or should be, of interest and concern to everyone, for cursing is a universal and age-old human undertaking. Since curses (as well as blessings) are to be found both inside and outside of religious contexts, there isn't much sense in drawing a sharp distinction between magical and religious curses. Whether wishing for evil or good, one verbalizes the desired outcome to draw closer, psychologically, at least, to its fulfillment. In fact, cursing and blessing have been called "perfect opposites." Both curses and blessings suggest the special power of speech and language.

Some curses, including those of the dying, are more potent than others. Two of those killed during the witch hysteria of Salem Village in 1692, for example, cursed their accusers. As Joe Citro wrote in his book, Cursed in New England (see interview in this issue), Sarah Good, condemned to be hung responded to her accuser, Reverend Noyes: "If you take away my life, God will give you blood to drink." The self-righteous Reverend "died of an internal hemorrhage, bleeding profusely from the mouth--drowned in his own blood.

" The second case from Salem illustrates how curses can descend down through the generations. As Giles Corey lay dying under the boulders stacked upon him because he refused to answer to a charge of witchcraft, he cursed the sheriff of Essex County, George Corwin. One of the recent sheriffs of the county wrote to Citro: "All the High Sheriffs of this county before me, including Corwin, either died in office from heart problems or retired with an ailment of the blood.

" The power of the spoken curse is strengthened when it is embodied into a material object and a performance. The symbolic powers of imitation through performance, that is, acting out the intended result with a "stand-in"--for example, sticking pins in a poppet or voodoo doll--leaves little doubt about what results are sought (see Voodoo Doc in this issue). And naming the poppet makes it plain who the target is. An even stronger association is created, through what is termed "contagious magic," when something from the intended target, such as a hair or fingernail, is incorporated into the poppet.

A curse can be dangerous beyond its original intent and scope. Some believe that a curse can hover for years before descending upon its unfortunate target. Curses also may be contagious, spreading beyond their intended target. Finally, curses can backfire. In fact, there is a folk saying that "curses, like chickens, come home to roost." These inherent dangers explain why the advice I gave the students (as described in Voodoo Doc) was based on the hoodoo belief system rather than, say, that of a skeptical science. For, as another folk saying recommends, "fight fire with fire."   

Editor: Michael Bell      EMail    Website