photo by 401kcalculator.com (via Creative Commons)
When you interact with locals during your Colombian adventure tour you are sure to encounter some bizarre superstitions. Colombia has some of the strangest superstitions as its people pull from African, Spanish and indigenous roots. And it’s the mixture of all of these various beliefs that make Colombian superstitions special and intriguing. So take a peek below at some of the top old wives’ tales that will keep you on the winning side of love, money and luck.
photo by Andreas Praefcke (via Creative Commons)
If you don’t want to be single for the rest of your life, St. Anthony is your Man
Many believe that the secret to finding your one true love is not by living your life and hoping to bump into him or her, the secret is to blackmail a Saint, St. Anthony to be specific.
In Colombia, many a girl and guy will take statues of St. Anthony and hang him upside down with a cord essentially blackmailing him to bring you your one true love in a jiffy. Another trick is to hide baby Jesus’ statue from his statue until true love comes your way.The game is that his spirit will be so upset, that he will send your soulmate in a hurry so that you will return him to his rightful stance and place. Sounds a bit sketchy but anything in the name of love, right?
So what’s up with St. Anthony, why is he the Colombian cupid? His story goes back hundreds of years ago where people would call him the “Saint of Miracles” as he helped aid people in finding lost objects. He was revered as a miracle worker as well as a matchmaker as he is credited to helping many people find their significant others.
photo by 401kcalculator.com (via Creative Commons)
Want to fill your pockets with cash this new year? The secret is yellow.
Many Colombians wear yellow underwear during the weeks leading up to New Year’s as they believe that it will bring them riches in the new year. Why? Well, because yellow is the color of gold and if you’re looking to be lucky in finances, gold is the only way to go.
But where does this tradition stem from? Like lots of little quirks and wives tales, the answers lie in the Middle Ages. Back then, wearing certain colors were a way to easily identify what class someone was a part of and all bright, vibrant colors were only reserved for the wealthy classes. Purple was for royalty and other bright, striking hues were reserved for the best in court as well as self-made wealthy individuals. Peasants were only able to legally wear faded, washed out taupes.
So what is a populace to do? Wear these brightly colored clothes under their daily uniforms of course! In Spain, at the time, people believed that wearing bright colors would bring luck and fortune and this is where the story of the yellow New Year Underwear begins.
photo by Daderot (via Creative Commons)
Sick and tired of drama and negative energy in your life? It’s all about the mirrors.
Many horror films play with the idea of mirrors being gateways into different dimensions or different worlds. But even though these films are works of fiction by talented filmmakers, the core beliefs that they have incorporated into these films span over hundreds of years.
When it comes to mirrors, Colombians don’t mess around. They believe that mirrors will drain your energy while you sleep and that if you put mirrors at the end of your bed you will also receive bad luck. So what’s the trick? Make sure you strategically place mirrors in your bedroom. Another tip is that many also cover their mirrors with a blanket before they go to sleep no matter the location just to be sure.
Aside from draining your energy, many believe that your soul can also be stolen by negative spirits coming through the mirrors, and these spirits can also induce horrible nightmares. There’s also studies done by experts that prove having a mirror facing the foot of your bed as you sleep can also induce insomnia. Pretty serious stuff for sure.
Put Culture to Practice
So now that you’ve memorized some of these superstitions and put them to practice, it’s now time to book your custom one-of-a-kind tour of Colombia. Just make sure that when you do, reach out to a travel expert from Uncharted Colombia and you will be guaranteed to have a great time.