REZA DO COXO

"REZA DO COXO" it's a traditional healing prayer to cure some skin problems. It is done with a bread knife while praying a mix of christian and profane words. The ritual has to be done during nine days. Usually the skin problem is attributed to some "bad" animal like an oat, a spider or a mouse that passed across the patient's clothes or by her body, while she was sleeping. It's very common in Portugal and goes like a sing song: 

"Sapo, sapão. 

Bicho, bichão. 

Cobra, cobrão. 

Bichos de toda a nação...

eu te corto com a faca do pão..."

Recorded and edited by Gonçalo Mota
Produced by Museu da Terra de Miranda 
2007