“:botá nica ”

:botánica takes as its backdrop the history of Spanish colonialism, which brought large numbers of African people to the Americas and the Caribbean. There, Spanish Catholicism mixed with West African and indigenous religious practices and resulted in the Caribbean religions and people we recognize today.

While African and indigenous traditions have remained largely hidden within Catholicism in Latinx communities, :botánica reveals and celebrates an array of practices, beliefs, figures, and archetypes that contribute to Latinx health, happiness, and prosperity.

“ To this day, West African and indigenous medicines and remedies, gods, and spiritual traditions are practiced in many Latinx homes, yet not discussed openly, as they are intertwined with and masked by Catholic saints, prayers, and rituals.”

That is to say that botánicas offer more than religion–they are places that people visit for help with the many challenges of everyday life, particularly issues of health, wealth, and love.

“ In the botánica, people can find support and healing without fear of ridicule or judgment. “