American Notes: Entrepreneurial Witchcraft

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One of the more arcane side effects of the Viet Nam War is being demonstrated in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. There, more than 100 witches and border spiritualists have a booming business charging Mexican-American families as much as $500 to keep their sons out of the Army by hexing the draft boards.

One such entrepreneurial witch, Madame Azteca, lives just across the border in the Mexican town of Reynosa. In one room of her shack, she works her magic sitting before two enormous, bubbling cauldrons, with mysterious colored powders arrayed on shelves behind. On the floor is a brilliant $500 red carpet—a payment from the Yturria family, whose only son Tony faced the gringo's draft two years ago. The witch tried her spells and powders on Tony's behalf, but he was inducted anyway. "The spirits just wouldn't cooperate," said Madame Azteca.

The parents held their faith nonetheless. Madame Azteca told them that if they would buy her an electric guitar, she would intercede with the spirits for Tony's safe return from Viet Nam. Now home, safe and sound, Tony is content. "I got back, didn't I?" he says.