curandera
Traditional Mexican healer
A curandera is a traditional healer in Latin American cultures, especially Mexican and Mexican-American communities.
She uses herbal remedies, spiritual practices, and folk medicine to treat illness—physical, emotional, or supernatural.
The role blends indigenous and Catholic traditions: The curandera cleansed the house with sage and prayer.
The masculine form is curandero.
Removing dirt or toxins
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- altarSacred ritual table
- offeringsThings presented or given
- incantationsRitual words for magic
prayer · ancestors · energies · aura · sacred · visions · egg cleansing · candles
Spanish term for witch
- wisewomanFemale folk healer
- midwifeChildbirth assistance professional
- witchdoctorHealer using magic rituals
- sageWisdom keeper or seasoning
folklore · tradition · superstition · lore · ancestor · mythology · oral tradition · village
cleansing
Removing dirt or toxins
incantations · prayer · ancestors · energies · aura · sacred · visions · egg cleansing · candles · blessing
bruja
Spanish term for witch
- wisewomanFemale folk healer
- midwifeChildbirth assistance professional
- witchdoctorHealer using magic rituals
sage · folklore · tradition · superstition · lore · ancestor · mythology · oral tradition · village · elder
oracle
Authoritative wisdom source
tarot · reading · cards · prophecy · dreams · signs · omens · intuition · revelation · guidance
tincture
Herb steeped in alcohol
- poulticeMoist healing application
- decoctionBoiled herbal concentrate
- infusionSteeping to extract essence
salve · balm · botanical · medicinal · manzanilla · arnica · copal
- witchcraftwitch, spell, spellwork, witches, spells
- healersnurse, doctor, physician, surgeon, medic
- Latin American FolkloreLa Llorona, curandero, brujo, brujas, Quetzalcoatl
- Curanderismocurandero, egg cleansing, spiritual cleansing, copal, manzanilla
- New MexicoSanta Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, adobe, White Sands
- witcheswitch, enchantress, good witch, bad witch, white witch
curanderamedical doctor
Licensed healthcare practitioner
surgeon · specialist · MD · M.D. · psychiatrist
curanderaclinical researcher
Medical study professional
medical scientist · allopath · lab technician · radiologist · pathologist