Magic, sorcery and witchcraft among Afrovenezuelan peasants

Resumo

In Venezuela the belief in magic and witchcraft is very common and by no means only a phenomenon characteristic of the rural black population. Similar rites, practices, and beliefs are found both among peasants and urban dwellers all over the country and it must be stressed from the very beginning, that they are not exclusively encountered in areas where the bulk of the population is of African descent, although such practices might be more commom there. Nevertheless it is difficult to prove the African origin of particular rites. However, the fact that magic is of outmost importance for many Venezuelans, regardless of their ethnic and social background, it may be attributed to the African heritage in the folk-culture.