Mal de Ojo
El mal de ojo es un maleficio muy conocido en muchos lugares de Latino América. La
forma de echar un mal de ojo varia según el país y la cultura, aunque existe una razón recurrente: la envidia. Los resultados del embrujo son similares a los de una fuerte gripe. Las victimas padecen dolores de cabeza, fiebre, diarrea, insomnio, y lloros compulsivos, hasta finalmente corromper sus almas. Esta condición afecta especialmente a los niños pequeños. Alguien mirándote caminando por la calle que piense que te ves bien o llevas ropa elegante puede ser el que esta detrás del ojeado. Las personas que echan un mal de ojo no son siempre conscientes de que lo están haciendo, y puede que la victima ni siquiera conozca su agresor.
El mal de ojo is a hex that is well known throughout Mexico and Latin America. How
you actually get the evil eye varies from country and culture, but there is one common denominator: envy. It results in intense flu-like systems such as headaches, high fever, diarrhea, not sleeping well, and compuslive crying, ultimatley tainting the victims soul. This condition is especially common amongst young children. Someone seeing you walking down the street thinking that you look good or are wearing nice clothes might be the one behind the ojeado. People giving the evil eye aren’t always aware they are doing so, and you might not even know the person giving it to you.
- Cole Saladino
I’ve long sought to define myself by those who surround me. Ideally this
includes a small set of close friends, ones who allow me to see fragments of myself reflected in them. However, New York City has made this far more challenging than before. The fast paced lifestyle and dense population easily overwhelms the individual, whisking them into a sea of cluttered paths and human relations. Human gazes swirl about you, rife with distance and unpredictability. Its easy for one to loose themselves in the plethora of eyes. A sort of anxiety arises. If one doubts his/her own identity, what is there to stop them from doubting all that defines the world? Fantasy and reality are muddled. Drawings become a better reflection of truth than photographs. Still, there is a certain beauty and excitement in this state. Emotions run high and an outlook on the world opens up. The most mundane sight becomes colorful and vibrant, despite the mix of shadows. The myth “Mal de Ojo” speaks directly to this state of uncertainty. The curse is not to be taken lightly. A stolen soul leads to great pain, and should be cured quickly. However, as one can give the evil eye without knowing, this curse must be accepted as a part of life. If it is a part of life, why not enjoy the creepy beauty from the comfort of a childish comic book.