Which Woman is a Witch? The Stereotypic Notions about Witches in Croatian Traditional Beliefs Cover Image

Which Woman is a Witch? The Stereotypic Notions about Witches in Croatian Traditional Beliefs
Which Woman is a Witch? The Stereotypic Notions about Witches in Croatian Traditional Beliefs

Author(s): Luka Šešo
Subject(s): Anthropology
Published by: Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Filozofski fakultet
Keywords: traditional beliefs; witches; Croatia; Dalmatian hinterland; modernity

Summary/Abstract: The results of a recent field research showed that the breaking of taboos or social, moral or religious values, causes women to "become'" witches. It all starts with a rumor and gossip about some ugly, unmarried, divorced, promiscuous, old or too pretty women in the village. But they are still not branded as witches until a certain negative incident or misfortunate event occurs. Then those women next-door, who were previously marked as undesirable, are accused for the disaster and the accusers are hence resolved of all responsibility.

  • Issue Year: 2012
  • Issue No: 24
  • Page Range: 195-207
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: English