Something Wicked This Way Comes: A Cross Cultural Review of Mana & Taboo in Superstitions

Growing up in American culture I vividly remember being instructed by my peers not to step on cracks in sidewalks or I would fate my mother to break her back.  I, like many American children, believed this superstition because we had no reason not to, but as we grew older and gained more life experience we realized that it was not true and we walked normally, no longer avoiding cracks in the sidewalks as we went.  But why do our superfluous fears drawn from our superstitions exist?  Today’s blog post will discuss these false fears & comforts derived from superstitions through the analysis of mana & taboo in various culturally specific superstitions.

Mana is the ”belief in an imminent supernatural domain or life-force, potentially subject to human manipulation” (Gezon & Kottak, 2013).  Put simply, mana is the idea that mystical forces are imbued into specific people, animals, plants, or objects, and these mystical forces provide others who come in contact with the mana imbued person, animal, plant, or object with either good or bad luck.  Mana is also often tied to the concept of taboo, which is the prevention of completing specific acts by supernatural penalties (Gezon & Kottak, 2013).  Taboos exist to prohibit people from performing acts that will cause them bad luck, which is why it is associated with mana.

Figure 1: In the West Indies there is a superstition that dictates that individuals who have experienced terrible things burn the clothing they wore during the act so as to not continue to have bad luck.

Superstitions are a great source of cultural understandings and applications of mana and taboo.   Elements of both exist in the story mentioned above.  Mana exists in the notion that by an individual stepping on a crack they can affect the health and well-being of another individual, in this case the individual’s mother.  Taboo exists, as well, as the act of stepping on the crack is prohibited by the superstition.    

Some cultural superstitions only provide insight into mana.  For example, in Argentina it is believed that making a wish under a bridge that a train is crossing will lead to good fortune, whereas in Paraguay it is believed to enter a cemetery at night will lead to evil spirits taking over one’s body.  In the West Indies individuals who have undergone a very terrible event, such as an arrest, are instructed to burn the clothing they wore after the end of the event to avoid further bad luck (Figure 1), and in India individuals, after leaving a funeral, must bathe their bodies and clothing prior to entering the home.  All of these are examples of mana because of the acts that must be completed by the individual for the supernatural force to take effect.   

Figure 2: German superstition prohibits people from sending well wishes early.

Other cultures also have superstitions that match their cultural values and beliefs, which tie back to mana and taboo.  For example, in German culture it is considered bad luck to wish someone good luck or a happy birthday prior to the day of the event (Figure 2).  In this way mana is associated with the well wishes as an individual can say something that may affect the outcome of the event.  To ensure the outcome is not affected negatively the act of providing well wishes early is prohibited.  In Polish culture women are discouraged from leaving their purses on the floor for it is believed that by doing so they will lose money.  This superstition is similar to the one in Russia that instructs individuals not to leave empty bottles on tables or monetary losses will occur (Figure 3).  Mana is tied to the decision on where purses and bottles are placed, and the taboo encourages them not to place them on specific surfaces. 

If we delved more deeply into these cultural superstitions we would learn more about the cultural values and beliefs that exist in each culture.  The concepts of mana and taboo are easily derived from this quick analysis.  So next time you hear someone say that he or she can or cannot do something due to a specific superstition you can explain to them whether it is due mana or taboo.    

Figure 3: Empty glasses are bad omens in Russian culture.

References Cited

Gezon, L., & Kottak, C. (2013). Culture. In Culture (2nd ed., p. 30,31). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

A special thanks goes to contributors who shared stories of their culture's superstitions.  Many thanks to Mauricio Alvarez, Gabriela Brochu, Marynia Giren-Navarro, Precious Hall, Blesin Hestiyas, and Olga Katkova.  An extra special thanks goes to my mother who inspired this post and will never let me forget to never wish her an early birthday-ever (again).  :)