**Sardinian EVIL EYE and magic traditions**
Sardinian culture is filled with superstition and magical rites that the profound religiosity only enhanced, often with the favour of priests. Here I will talk about the evil eye and rites of s'argia. #folklore #Sardinia
📸 Su kokku
Sardinian culture is filled with superstition and magical rites that the profound religiosity only enhanced, often with the favour of priests. Here I will talk about the evil eye and rites of s'argia. #folklore #Sardinia
📸 Su kokku
Evil eye is common to many cultures and it's impossible to date its actual origin. In Sardinia it is strictly linked to the clear separation of male and female roles, so that only women can deal with magic, rituals, life and death, probably reminiscence of the time when Sardinian
-women were priestesses, in the Nuragic Age.
In Sardinian, evil eye is called ogu malu and those affected are said to be pigau de ogu. They are generally men, because women who practice traditional medicine can't be affected. They can't even cast evil eye.
Every living thing-
In Sardinian, evil eye is called ogu malu and those affected are said to be pigau de ogu. They are generally men, because women who practice traditional medicine can't be affected. They can't even cast evil eye.
Every living thing-
-can be affected by evil eye: a person, an animal, a plant, bread. It is thought jealous people are the ones who cast evil eye, they would also have a peculiar "spark" in the eye that identifies them (to practitioners) as possible casters.
There are several amulets that have -
There are several amulets that have -
-been invented to protect against evil eye. They bear bells or relics, or obsidian stones. This is the case of su kokku, that I already mentioned in the jewels thread. This amulet is explicitly made to be gifted to retain its power and if it breaks, it means it averted a casting-
-attempt. It must be said casters don't usually do that on purpose.
It was also thought that actually touching the person/thing that someone is jealous of would quickly avoid evil eye. And there you have women touching all newborns they meet.
Another old tradition was spitting.
It was also thought that actually touching the person/thing that someone is jealous of would quickly avoid evil eye. And there you have women touching all newborns they meet.
Another old tradition was spitting.
Yes, this was still used in 1800s and if they could find the person who cast evil eye, they would have them spitting on the affected's eyes.
Other times they would bring the affected in church and have the priest read the Bible. The countryside priests didn't oppose, they-
Other times they would bring the affected in church and have the priest read the Bible. The countryside priests didn't oppose, they-
-believed too, but this wasn't nicely seen by higher clerics.
The extreme case was that of sa mexina de s'ogu, the medicine. It was done exclusively by women who inherited the knowledge from their mothers and it consists of throwing seeds, usually wheat, in water and utter-
The extreme case was that of sa mexina de s'ogu, the medicine. It was done exclusively by women who inherited the knowledge from their mothers and it consists of throwing seeds, usually wheat, in water and utter-
-prayers. According to how many bubbles the seeds created, they would have the answers and the healing. The prayers are of religious background, at least the known ones, because large part remains a family secret. They're called brebus and they can't be revealed.
The rite sees variations in the whole Island, in some places the affected has to drink the water too. It doesn't necessitate of the physical presence of the affected, it can be done at distance but the name and direction of the affected must be known to the practitioner.
In cases where the evil eye was too strong, it required the intervention of even 3 women. Sa mexina could also be practiced on animals.
The brebus are a large amount of secret formulas used also for other aims, like curing headache ⬇️.
The brebus are a large amount of secret formulas used also for other aims, like curing headache ⬇️.
The rituals of s'argia derive instead from a poisonous spider that can be found in Sardinia. The bitten, again usually a man, was lied on the ground while a group of 21 women danced around him. The role of women in this rite is that of exorcists, to expel the spirit of the argia-
-which is associated to the spirit of a dead woman. The argia could have 3 social states: unmarried, bride, widow. The inquiry was led by a woman close to the bitten person, with questions and dances that meant to identify the status. Then, according to the answer, the ritual-
-could assume different forms and involve women of different social status.
The dance, like in most Sardinian rites, is serious but also irreverent. Women would jump over the man, tickle him, make him laugh and laugh themselves. It was the most irreverent Sardinian women-
The dance, like in most Sardinian rites, is serious but also irreverent. Women would jump over the man, tickle him, make him laugh and laugh themselves. It was the most irreverent Sardinian women-
-could be in their life. They would ask the argia for grace or curse it. The ritual lasted in total 3 days.
These rituals show the important role of exorcists that was given to Sardinian women, as magic was an exclusively female field.
These rituals show the important role of exorcists that was given to Sardinian women, as magic was an exclusively female field.
Here is an ethnographic representation of the rituals of s'argia. Full video here, because I had to cut it for Twitter standards:
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