1. THE BANDANAS - In this instance, I'm wearing two dark blue bandanas. Please note that this is NOT like the Moslem hijaab--both men and women don a bandana or several when desired. Sometimes during a brujo rite or especially for a solitary quest, a brujo may elect to cover part or all of the head. For some, this is a mark of respect and reverence for the powers being invoked. For others, covering up helps with inner reflection. Obviously, a brujo planning to speak aloud will likely forego covering the mouth. As for the object, the bandana has a long association with Mexico and the Southwest. They're damn handy to have around in a desert windstorm, but we don't get too many of those.

2. THE MEZCAL - What can I say? My patroness, Mayahuel, is the goddess of the maguey (agave) plant from which the drinks tequila, mezcal, and pulque are made. The bottle in the picture is of mezcal, made in the state of Oaxaca and imported complete with gusano worm. Don't get the impression that this bruja is a sot. To the contrary, I only occasionally take a small sip in honor of Mayahuel. I prefer mezcal to tequila and pulque because I find it has a heartier flavor. At any rate, all of these beverages, the maguey, and by association, Mayahuel, have always been and continue to be of vital importance to the Mesoamerican lifestyle--and in modern times, to the national economy of Mexico.

3. THE SKULL - Is it real or is it a fake? You can be the judge. To me, the skull is symbolic of a great deal, but most importantly as a reminder of inevitable death and as the seat of the mind. Mexican culture in general, and Brujeria in particular, is much more comfortable with the notion of death and consequently has an almost friendly relationship (look up the Day of the Dead for further examples). As a symbol of active thought, the skull represents all the brujo uses the brain for in the practice of Brujeria. The skull reminds us that we have to use our minds and that it is essential to be crafty and clever.

I wanted to include this to explain how I didn't just decide to use props for the photograph. Yes, there was some thought that went into this--pretty good, considering at the time this was taken, I was about three hours away from having all four wisdom teeth removed.