NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – From curanderos to hechiceros and brujos, New Mexico has a rich cultural past that has often led to rumors of spellcasters. On this episode of New Mexico Strange, KRQE News 13 Host and Anchor Chad Brummett sat down with State Historian Rob Martinez to discuss the history of alleged witchcraft in New Mexico.
Martinez was born in Albuquerque, but his family roots in Northern New Mexico introduced the historian to the idea of brujería, or witchcraft, early on in life. Martinez said he was not told “tales” of witchcraft as a child but, instead, was informed that there were indeed brujas and brujos, female and male witches, residing in certain towns. But those claims go back much further; while studying at the University of New Mexico, Martinez learned of an inquisition document detailing an alleged uptick in hechicería (sorcery) and brujería in Abiquiu in the 1760s.
In New Mexico’s early days, warfare and colonization were taking place in all directions, and many people were marginalized and ended up settling in peripheral towns, like Mora, Tramps, Belen, Abiquiu, and Truchas. The combination of palpable tension in those towns, community members vying for power, Pueblo stories, prior religions, and traditional beliefs from Spain and Mexico led to fearful priests who were quick to call out non-Catholic behavior as witchcraft.
In particular, curanderos, traditional folk healers, were sometimes accused of being intertwined with those using similar techniques to inflict harm on others. But, for the most part, witchcraft was disregarded as superstition unless it came to heresy in the Catholic church, and Catholic priests were eventually encouraged to get to know the cultural norms to better understand the actions of community members.
On this episode of New Mexico Strange, Martinez details the origins of brujería in New Mexico and uncovers how tales of witchcraft are present in various cultural and religious belief systems worldwide.
About New Mexico Strange
New Mexico is perceived worldwide as a mecca for the extraordinary. Whether it’s the healing soil of Chimayo, the haunted trails of the Old West, or visitors from the final frontier, our state is home to countless myths and mysteries. New Mexico Strange is KRQE News 13’s online exclusive web series, celebrating our unique history and shedding light on the shadows of the unexplained, unexplored, and unknown. Hosted by Chad Brummett, New Mexico Strange takes viewers through some of the Land of Enchantment’s most mysterious folklore and conspiracies.
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