Dominican Republic More Superstitions, Beliefs and Omens

Rain and Water

If things are going bad, a dip in the ocean will wash away the bad spirits.
Don’t bathe in the morning – again, you will get gripe (the flu or a cold)
You must place a cubo de auga/ bucket of water at the furthest corner of your house the week of New Year's. Exactly at midnight you dump the water out the backdoor. The belief is you gather all the bad spirits and feelings of the previous year and you dump them out never to return.(more New Year traditions)
If you go into a rain shower when the sun is shining you will get sick.
Taking a bath with rose petals is said to bring Quitar la mala suerte/ good luck. Usually done by people who have not won the lottery.
To make it not rain make a circle of pebbles in your yard. Cover these stones with ashes and say the anti-rain chant "San Isidro Labrador, quita el agua y pon el sol !"
To protect your crops during a storm with strong winds mount your machete, upside down, on the wall in the farthest corner of the home
If you are caught in a thunder and lightening storm its best to stop talking and close the mouth. Also remove and teeth that are removable because they, the metal in them, are said to be lightning conductors and they can be blown right out of your mouth.

Miscellaneous Superstitions, Beliefs and Omens

If a fighting rooster, early in the morning when his head is still under his wing, sees himself. He should not fight that day because he will lose.
If one has an itch in the right hand they will received money, but if it is in the left hand they will lose money.
Tuesday the 13th is the equivalent to Friday the 13th
If you loose something burn a velon/ candle in offering to San Antonio and you will find what you lost.
Never work with wet cement after 4 PM or you will get the infamous “gripe”
Don't cross your eyes while a rooster is crowing.
There are ciguapas who live in caves, often near a river, who have backward feet. When pursued, their tracks lead the hunters to where they have been.(more on Ciguapas)
There are duendes, once children who died without being baptized. They pass the time playing tricks on humans. For example, when you can't find your eyeglasses or sewing scissors, even though sure you left them in a particular spot, it is probably because they were hidden by the duendes.(more on Duendes)
There are the speedy zanganos, who are able to travel amazing distances in a very short time.(more on zanganos)
There are the resguardos/ amulets that are worn for protection against enemies that are purchased from suppliers. The most effective, they say (and you know who THEY are) , is a bag with a small cross attached that contains a special prayer. Others include the tooth of a cow, a fragment of burro bone, and a black coral cross.
And there are the ceremonies for expelling evil spirits that have taken possession of someone. Witches and exorcists expel them with rituals and procedures in which they employ various tools, techniques and materials such as trying to persuade them to leave; drawing crosses with garlic on the hands, forehead and back of the possessed person; striking the victim with whips of brooms made of the leaves and branches of certain plants and bushes (e.g. guandule, anamú). The churches also have ceremonies for expelling evil spirits that are led by the minister or an important member qualified to do this ceremony.
Beware of Coats or also known as Bilín. He can become a burro or other animals as he desires. People here have a lot of respect for Bilín."
During the 30 years that Trujillo ruled the Dominican Republic, many countrymen were arrested for violating various laws. For example, if you weren't farming at least 10 tareas (about 1.5 acres), the soldiers marched you off to jail. Some of these men were able to avoid arrest by making themselves invisible whenever soldiers were in the area; others turned themselves into stumps or rocks, or at least that is what you saw when you looked at them. A few men could escape from the soldiers by changing into eels and disappearing under the water when they crossed a river or stream on the way to jail."
You are never to work or do anything of great effort on Corpus Christi Day. That is a "cosa mala"/ "bad thing" (which, for Dominicans, is one of those things that nobody really knows why is offensive to God, just that it is offensive).
Having sex on a Good Friday (Easter Friday) is a bad thing. People who do, supposedly, will be stuck the rest of the day in whatever position they were in.
When a woman has her menstruation she can not touch any cleaning products because she will get very sick.
You must always say God willing ("Si Dios quiere ", "si díos lo permite", "con díos delante"), if you are talking about seeing someone tomorrow or if you are going into town(A guy told his family that he was going to town and left out the important phrase. Well he walked, and walked and walked but he never ever got there!!)
I've heard if someone has placed an evil voodoo spell on you. The only way for you to brake that spell is to throw a stone and hit the witch right on the forehead and it must bleed. If it doesn't bleed, then the spell won't go away.
Never pick up coins from the ground. They might have evil spells, and if you pick them up, that spell will fall on you.
If someone is calling your name don't turn around on the first call, one has to wait for the third time because it might be a zombie calling you to steal you soul.
If the first transaction of the day for a salesman is on credit the salesman will have problems with the clients for the entire day.
To mention Columbus's name is very unlucky. Instead of using his name, Dominicans call him "The Admiral."

Higa or Figa Amulets (Ásabache as it is known in Dominican Republic)

Spanish seamen, being very superstitious, thought it brought bad luck to pass by some of the "cursed islands". To deflect this bad luck some thought that by passing a cursed islands on the north side would bring better luck while others thought that passing by on the south side was better. It was the perception that the devil brought storms and that many places were cursed. This is why the crew had to use something to protect themselves against this evil. Especially the evil eye. The higa or figa, it is thought, was first used as a good luck charm, worn around the neck for protection. It seems that some were also quite large and it is believed these were used to protect the animals such as horses or dogs. There have been many found in shipwrecks and along the beaches. Many of which are on display the Museo de las Cases Reales de Santo Domingo.

"Figa," the small hand shaped amulets that has the thumb placed between the index finger and the middle finger. The lucky figa is an amulet made in the shape of a hand. This hand is clenched into a fist with the thumb sticking up between the index and second fingers. These have been found to be made from many different substances. Among them is coral, wood, ivory, natural crystal, jet and gold. Almost any material that could be formed into this fist shape was used. There have been other items, such as spoons and boxes, embellished with the figa.

In some countries the figa is considered to be obscene because of the hand gesture it represents.

Witchcraft, Misterosos, Possession and Cures

Witchcraft is said to cause many illnesses here in Dominican Republic, especially if an illness or disease comes on swiftly or lasts a long time.
Many illnesses are said to occur when a person hires a brujo/ sorcerer (male witch) or a bruja/ sorceress (female witch) to call upon the spirit of a diseased person to gain vengeance or because they are envious of someone. The end result is the person that used this means of getting even can become sick themselves. This because they became possessed themselves unknowingly. Because of this possession they become physically or mentally sick.
This spirit that causes sickness to the unsuspecting human is called the Bacá. This spirit is brought into existence to protect the owner of some property or to make another sick. Any person that the owner of this spirit comes in contact with will become sick or crazy.
Diseases can be caused by not giving enough attention to the misterios/ spirits and making them angry. If you make fun of them, don't take them seriously, do not believe in them or do not give them the sacrifices they feel are their due. If you cause the wrath of a misterioso they could posses the offending human and cause illness, both physical and mental. If there is no visible cause for these illnesses it is then advisable to get in touch with a brujo so they can tell you how to deal with this problem or to aide in get rid of this trouble causing misterioso. Also, it is recommended, if you have an angry misterioso possessing you to go on a pilgrimage. Many times this pilgrimage will include, among other things, repenting of the sins and sleeping on the floor in front of an altar.
Sometimes the healer or Brujo will get possessed by this misterioso himself so he can be spoken through thus knowing by feeling and seeing the illness himself. In this way he can best know how to deal with and cure the problem. These possessions can be complete body and mind possessions where the misterioso enters the Brujo or Bruja. Some just prefer to use Vista Clara/Clairvoyant where they do not have to be possessed, only inspired, by going into a trance. Some say God inspires them others say the misterioso does. After this visions they can see how best to cure a person or disease. Sometimes by only asking the possessor to go away rids the person, others times it is necessary to prescribe a traditional folk remedy of herbs and natural ingredients or by some specific action. They can use card reading , reading of coffee grounds or read water in a glass with a candle behind.
Many times, after a person who has experienced and cleansed themselves of this possession, they themselves have become spiritual healers. After a person has overcome a disease or illness caused by these misteriosos, it seems they have, in many cases, gained the special powers to aid others in how to overcome the misteriosos. It is said that the only way a misterioso would permit them to be healed is for them to become Curanderos/ Healers themselves. The Curanderos are usually Brujos, both at the same time. They are considered to be quite powerful.
Some cures are just the traditional Ensalmar/ praying for health. Others are to write their wish on a piece of paper then place it inside or under a magical object, maybe a statue, a candle, or a special stone or trinket. Some cures can include an exorcism, especially when the person is possessed by a bad spirit called an Envío. The bad spirit can be sent into some living animal or creature. There is a bottle that can be used as a trap to put the evil spirit in. There is a trap inside the bottle in which the person spits several times and trap's the evil spirit in this form. There is also a grave yard caretaker or Barón del Cementerio/ Baron of the cemetery that can send the evil spirit away. A bath, in a tub, spring or river, can be used with herbs or medicines in the water that one must wash in on the designated days and hours. This bath can wash away evil and also bring good luck as well, all depending on the ingredients and procedures used for this cleansing. There are many different amulets, among them animal teeth. Sometimes an item is burned and the ashes are taken internally or rubbed on the body
Many of these healers have learned their trade passed down from their ancestors. Their knowledge of herbs and the mental states of the people make many of their cures really work. The herbal remedies are many of which modern medicines have been derived. I am not sure about some of these healing medicines but many times a sickness can be just in the head and maybe a little superstition to make the sickness go away is all that is needed. If you believe it is gone , it is gone. Also the herbal healing methods have been used since the beginning or time and many really do work. Some seem to come from Indian traditions and African traditions as well. Many are believed the world over only in slightly varied forms.
More information about brujas in the myths and legends section)