A brief powerpoint discussing the diffrerences between La Curandera ( a healer ) and La Bruja in Maryse Condé's I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem, and Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima.

1. La Curandera or La Bruja
Lauren Ponthie, May 2, 2019, Presentation for college students

2. La Curandera
 La Curandaera: the healer, is a combination of Latin American culture, it is a
spiritual healer or medicine woman who uses plants, herbs, and magic to treat
illness or impart wisdom. Sympathizes with the people so she can heal the soul.
 La Bruja: the witch, uses magic ritual or supernatural powers to accomplish tasks,
can be used for good or to cause harm

3. Conjure vs Rootwork
 Conjure- to call upon a spirit or ghost by means of a magic ritual, invocation, or
spell
 Rootwork- spiritualism, Hoodoo, works with natural energies of herbs and roots to
brig about a desired outcome

4. Was Tituba a witch or a healer?
 As portrayed in I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem, Tituba practices most of her
supernatural powers by way of magic ritual
 Conjures up Abena, her mother
 Conjures Mama Yaya
 Brought back the family of Benjamin Cohen d’Azevedo
 Makes animal sacrifices

5. Was Tituba a witch or a healer?
 Though Tituba is portrayed as a witch, she does display healing qualities
 Heals Elizabeth Parris
 Also uses herbs and nature to perform some magic

6. Was Ultima a witch or a healer?
 Ultima lived with a Catholic family. Her magic is used primarily through being in
touch with nature and having a balance between good and evil.
 Ultima uses herbs to heal Lucas Luna, Maria’s youngest brother
 Ultima obviously has powers separate from God, yet encourages Antonio to keep with
his Catholic faith.
 Gives Antonio
 An amulet containing dried herbs to protect him from harm

7. Was Ultima a witch or a healer?
 Though ultimately Ultima is portrayed as a healer in Bless Me, Ultima, she does do
some things that are more inclined to supernatural magic
 When fighting the curse that had been laid upon Antonio’s uncle, she proclaims “Let the
evil come out!” as if she had dominion over evil

8. How do Tituba and Ultima use animals?
 Tituba uses animals as a sacrifice to a higher being.
 She is taught that blood and mil are the essential liquids
 The relationship with animals is not to coexist or to use their balance with nature for
power, but to kill them in exchange for power.

9. How do Tituba and Ultima use animals?
 Ultima uses animals as a way to connect with nature. She draws on their balance
and harmony with nature for power.
 She has a familiar, an owl who’s lifeline is connected to her. She cannot exist without the
owl and the owl cannot exist without Ultima.

10. Where does Ultima’s come from?
 Ultima’s power comes mostly from her connection with animals and nature. She
has been instructed on which herbs to use for what situations may occur.
 Her powers never conflict with the family that she lives with, which is interesting
because they are Catholic. They recognize that her power does not conflict with the
power of God, but that she uses God’s creation as a source of power.

11. Where does Tituba’s power come from?
 Tituba’s power also comes from knowledge of herbs and healing, though it is
different that Ultima’s.
 Tituba conjures spirits and calls on another power to perform magic, be it Satan or
otherwise
 Tituba does not balance herself with nature, nature is simply a means to an end for
her.

12. Do their backgrounds or surroundings
make them more inclined to evil?
 Tituba had a life full of suffering
 Her life was always one of service
 Despite being a slave, she still helped people
 Tituba never used her magic to actively hurt anyone
 Her background did not make her more inclined to evil
 She was mistreated her entire life
 Her surroundings were grim, with little enjoyment even for those who were not
slaves
 She still never uses her power for evil

13. Do their backgrounds or surroundings
make them more inclined to evil?
 Ultima also led a life of service
 Ultima’s service led her to one of her greatest gifts, Tony
 Ultima always helped whenever she could
 Despite having powers away from God, she still worked and lived with a Catholic
family
 She helped to raise Tony in a Catholic mindset
 Ultima gives the ultimate gift of her life at the end
 She lives her life with mostly joy
 Her surroundings do not have an effect on how she lives her life or performs her
magic

14. La Curandera and La Bruja Similarities
 Both healers and witches are typically women
 Both are typically of color
 Neither are fully understood and have been feared in the past
 Mostly live as outcasts or as minorities
 Both use nature as a source of their power
 Both understand that their magic is bigger than themselves

15. Differences between La Bruja and La
Curandera
 La Bruja calls upon supernatural forces, though not necessarily satan, to perform
magic. Witches are typically portrayed as evil in literature. If one were to compare
and contrast the portrayal of Tituba in The Crucible versus her portrayal in I, Tituba,
The Crucible shows only the satanic side of where her magic comes from. This form
of magic uses nature rather than being in balance with it, as seen in Las Brujas
relationships with animals: they sacrifice animals.

16. Differences between La Bruja and La
Curandera
 La Curandera calls upon nature for her magic. She knows which herbs to use for
different situations. Her balance in nature is where her power comes from, she lives
in harmony with it and allows nature to move through her. She understands that
she works for something bigger than herself.

17. Works Cited
 Anaya, Rudolfo A. Bless Me, Ultima. Grand Central Publ., 2013.
 Condé Maryse, et al. I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem. University Of Virgini a
Press, 2009.
 “Conjure.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, 2000, www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/conjure.
 Original Botanica. “A Beginners Guide To Hoodoo Rootwork.” Original
Products Botanica, 2000, www.originalbotanica.com/blog/a-beginners -guide-
to-hoodoo-rootwork/.