[/caption]Ernest Dempsey — We think of smoke as a pollutant and damaging to health. In some cultures, however, smoke from a special plant source is considered a defender against evil. In Pakhtoon population residing in Pakistan’s northwest, the practice of warding off evil by smoking dried twigs and capsules of Spinaley (Harmal plant) is still common. The smoke of the dried Harmal plant bearing the small capsules is considered a natural antidote of what the local term “evil eye”.
Traditional women, particularly mothers, are anxious about the safety of their children (minor as well as grownups). They believe that some people, usually strangers or less friendly ones within the family, are “evil-eyes”—if they give a child a look of praise or admiration, with or without verbal praise in favor of the child, it is a sign of danger for the kid’s safety or good luck. The evil power thus cast on the child needs to be countered soon as possible, preferably before the child goes out or travels (in which case the evil may materialize in form of an accident). Praising someone’s beauty or strength of character is also considered a foreboding of evil hovering over the object of appreciation. Similarly, if one or more people in a house are getting constant or frequent success, praise of that too is considered sign of impending evil.
To protect against the invisible evil, traditional Pakhtoon women smoke Spinaley to the ‘threatened’ individual(s). Dried Spinaley twigs containing the seed capsules are placed on embers; if they catch fire, it is put out; the smoke produced is considered the magical defender of life and wellbeing. The smoke is circled around the head (symbolizing life) of the person(s) a few times, or they are simply wafted some of the smoke from nearby, to ensure the possible evil spell is defused before it can do harm.
Spinaley is not confined to domestic use. It is sold in many places, packed in plastic bags. It has long been incorporated in begging practice, particularly by beggar children. Along roads and in public places, the poor kids carry a tin can with glowing embers in it, holding Spinaley seeds in the pocket while holding a hand fan in the other hand. They approach people, throw some Spinaley seeds on the embers, and fan the smoke toward the person they mean to request for money. Silently, they express that the person looks good/successful and they are warding any possible evil off him/her. This way, the poor kids usually earn a little to keep living.
With increasing education and western culture becoming the pursued lifestyle, Spinaley is losing its popularity. But for Pakhtoon mothers in Pakistan, particularly of the X generation, it still retains protective value and is kept in the house for use whenever the need arise.
