curanderas

Curanderas are women who practice traditional folk healing in many Latin American cultures and in diaspora communities. The term, derived from curar (to cure), denotes a healer who addresses physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being within a culturally rooted framework. Curanderas typically operate within syncretic systems that blend Indigenous healing practices with Catholicism and, in some areas, elements from African diasporic religions. They may treat a range of problems, from everyday ailments to conditions believed to have spiritual causes, such as mal de ojo (evil eye), susto (soul fright), or curses, using a combination of herbal remedies, prayers, blessings, and ritual cleansing.

Common practices include the preparation of herbal medicines, the use of holy water or candles, invocations to saints or spirits, and cleansing rites known as limpias, which aim to remove negative energies. Healing may also involve lay on of hands, counseling, and guidance on lifestyle or domestic issues. Training is usually informal, passed down through families or apprenticeships, and status is granted by community recognition rather than formal certification. In many communities, curanderas work alongside biomedical providers, offering culturally resonant explanations for illness, helping patients navigate medical systems, and facilitating referrals when needed.

Geographically, curanderas are most prominent in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and Andean regions, and among Latinx populations in the United States and elsewhere. They form part of the broader practice known as curanderismo and reflect long-standing patterns of healing that intertwine health, spirituality, and social belonging.