Of Fairies, Fairy Doctors, and Witches: Witch trials in Spanish Sicily

Abstract: The magic-imbued landscape of Spanish Sicily and Sicilian Witches brought the image of the witch away from its Christian devilry and into the realm of Pagan traditional wonder. The donni di fori (Spanish doñas de fuera), “Ladies from Outside,” challenged the diabolical-seeking Inquisition with new beings seemingly ready to tempt souls away from Christian belief. This essay explores “monstrosity” as a religious technique used by the Spanish Inquisition to Christianize and demonize traditional Sicilian folk belief. It further aims to investigate the dimensions of colonial religious violence as it entangles with the beliefs and practices of those under its occupation.

Presenter bio: Ara Gargiulo is a first year M.A.R. student at Yale Divinity School. She is fascinated by beauty and monstrosity in early/ancient religions, religious art and belief, the other/divine/mortal relationship, and [gendered] aesthetic constructions of morality, agency, and the body. She hopes to pursue her PhD in Religious Studies.

Affiliation: Yale Divinity School - M.A.R. WGSS