Witchcraft tourism in Catemaco, Mexico: a liquid modernity perspective

The picturesque town of Catemaco in Mexico is popular with nature enthusiasts. However, it is also known as the “Land of the Witches” and has become a centre for witchcraft tourism. While most who participate in witchcraft are involved in innocuous white magic rituals, others are motivated by black magic, engaging in what is labelled malevolent tourism, rather than dark tourism. The study investigates, from a societal perspective, why individuals travel to take part in witchcraft practices in Catemaco. It uses Zygmund Bauman’s liquid modernity as a lens from which to view contemporary Mexican society and to consider whether the increasingly fluid, dynamic, and changing nature of society, which can result in personal distress and uncertainty, is a contributing factor towards witchcraft tourism at Catemaco. A qualitative approach is adopted that involves interviews conducted with participants who have travelled to the annual International Witchcraft Congress at Catemaco with the intention of participating in brujeria, along with further interviews undertaken with residents and a witchcraft practitioner. Findings suggest that witchcraft serves as a coping mechanism for certain individuals facing social challenges that have arisen from liquid modernity, such as relationship problems and work-related issues. While most of the participants required white magic rituals, a smaller, yet significant proportion were driven to indulge in black magic.