The 'Catholic witchdoctors' of Bolivia: Where God and ancient spirits collide
The beautifully ornate Aymara people
In a remote part of Bolivia, the indigenous Aymara people live according to traditions that have flourished for centuries.
By Jake Wallis Simons, for CNN
updated 5:51 AM EDT, Wed September 17, 2014
(CNN) -- On the vast plains of the Altiplano plateau in South America live people who believe in magic.
Many of the Aymara -- an ancient, indigenous race found in Bolivia, Peru and Chile -- suppose that on Tuesdays and Fridays, ordinary people become vulnerable to harmful spirits and the evil eye.
That's why on those days they stay awake and on their guard until dawn. And that is why they get together and smoke.
"When you exhale the smoke, you send back the evil spells to the sender," says Raphaël Verona, a Swiss photographer who has just released a new book of photographs of traditional Aymara communities.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/17/travel/catholic-witchdoctors-of-bolivia/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waska-Tatay-Thierry-H%C3%A4usermann/dp/2970070294/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410787309&sr=8-1&keywords=waska+tatay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aymara_people
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Since I have strong animist tendencies, stemming in part from my Celtic heritage, I can sympathize with these folks' traditions. I have a Native American spirit guide, and IF I remember correctly, Pope JPII declared that there's not necessarily any conflict between 'traditional' Catholicism and animism. The thought made me feel good, and so there's a fair chance I remember it instead of having manufactured it in my dreams.
I mean, if St. Francis of Assisi can preach to the animals, then they're close with God anyway. Won't press the point any further; that's just how I feel about it.
This is the first place I've ever lived where I couldn't get a priest to come bless my house, so I held a little ceremony all on my own, and when I finally got a fence, I annointed the four corner posts with a little prayer and some olive oil. Well, there was no way of getting holy water! 
Apparently I did an exorcism-lite too, because this house is old enough to have (ahem) 'things that go bump in the night'. So one time I just sat in a wooden chair in the center of the middle room and said something in the nature of: "I know there are other beings here, or at least one. You're welcome to stay, and I don't want to intrude. But I'm alive and I need this place more than you do. Let's call it a friendly draw, shall we?" No more trouble after that. A liberal Catholic priest I know from elsewhere told me it was an exorcism, anyway.
