Sensing the Spirits: The Healing Dramas and Poetics of Brujería Rituals

Abstract

Following the path suggested by Joseph Murphymore than a decade ago, this paper explores the sensuous spirituality of healing rituals in Puerto Rican brujeria, stressingtheir performative, embodied nature and significance. Carefullycrafted gestures, meticulously manipulated objects, poeticallystrung words, and before spiritually inspired music and dancecreate dramatic experiences. The voices of Spiritist entities,Santeria orishas, and the recently dead reveal sources of afflictions and solutions in a totalizing, emotional event involvingall the senses. This is where healing begins. The interpersonal,present-oriented pragmatic space that emerges during brujeriaritual challenges notions about the centrality of belief in healingrituals.

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