On Spotify, the esoteric podcasts they gain popularity; on social media, the astrologers and tarot readers they become celebrities. In turn, more and more people are buying candles and palo santo and planting their intentions on each new moon. A few months ago, exclusively with Vogue, the Mexican actress Salma Hayek confessed to always carry palo santo in her bag What amulet of energy protection. But, are these events the product of what is conceived as magic? For this esoteric special, we interview the leaders of the field in Latin America and reveal the origin of the resurgence of this trend and why the word ‘witch‘.
In recent years in Latin America, it seems that there is a great awakening of a trend inspired by the concept of witchcraft; from a predominance of violet color –a tone associated with power since ancient times, female empowerment and fairy tale witches–, even pointy shoes and black outfits in the style of Merlina Addams in the latest Tim Burton series. Undoubtedly, fashion brands also seem to be inspired, and proof of this are the recent catwalks for brands such as Christian Dior, Dries Van Noten and Rick Owens.
The millennials – known astrologically as the generation with pluto in Scorpio– grew up mesmerized by characters like Harry Potter; Sabrina the teenage witch; the sanderson sisters of Abra Cadabra; and Isabel Bigelow played by Nicole Kidman in bewitched; strong figures who recognized power in the palm of their hands. At the same time, in Latin America, this generation grew up with grandmothers who claimed to be able to cure a cold with herbal tea, a headache with an egg, or an intoxication with a red ribbon.
The Venezuelan astrologer Mia Astral, who with 2.3 million followers on Instagram could be crowned the regional empress, was one of the pioneers in this movement, inspiring hundreds of colleagues to come out of the esoteric closet and communicate in the language of the stars. In Buenos Aires, Dahlia F Walker, Lu Gaitan Y Juliet Suarez Valente could be considered the “older witches”, although there are hundreds of those who currently manifest themselves in the city of fury. Because it is in circumstances of greater uncertainty, when we tend to look for the answers in heaven.
For Dahlia F Walkerco-host of the Concha Podcast, founder of the FE esoteric store and school, and author of modern witch, The tarot as a key Y fucking mother, The great resurgence of the witch archetype is associated with the feminist movement. ‘The women got fed up. Feminism is a witch’s way. An alternative path in which our gender occupies a leading position. Being a witch generates fascination and rejection. She is to be a revolutionary rebel, to become independent from the institutions, to materialize the intangible, to bring taboos to light and to take back our power,’ she decrees.
Merlina Addams, Sabrina Spellman and more: How millennials redefine the concept of witchcraft