Dreams Are Made Of

Text and images by Maya Abuali.

Botanica Los Siete Arcangels displays variegated figurines; angels hoisting swords, native-American idols, cross-legged effigies with snakes coiling up their arms.

Boasting an array of candles and oils, the store (above), located on Broadway near 177th Street, is one of many catering to followers of the 21 divisions of Dominican Voodoo. A syncretic spiritual tradition with roots in African occultism, Las 21 Divisiones is primarily practiced in the Dominican Republic, and its microcosms sprawl across the Little DR in New York City.

These botanica promise spiritual healing to the Hispanic community in the area, melding Catholic iconography with sacred Afro-Caribbean customs.

Botanica 21 Division (above) sits on St. Nicholas Avenue, where Lo Luna stocks candles and cleanses, and offers consultations and tips to help customers along their spiritual journey. 

On 188th Street near St. Nicholas Avenue, Centro Espiritual Carmen has been providing spiritual guidance in the area for more than seven years. This is their second location.

The owner’s daughter, Addy Reyes (above), is well-versed in the sanctuary’s products and their powers.

“We sell just about everything in the spiritual world,” she explains. “A lot of people come here with problems. We do voodoo. We do cleansing.”

Reyes said that the shop has an on-site specialist for those seeking advice. The shop offers a myriad of cures for various physical ailments, including difficult menstrual cycles, anemia and infertility. 

Reyes notes that concerns around sex, fertility, and power make up a substantial portion are central to their customers’ spiritual afflictions. Women come in looking for candles to light up romance, promote fertility, and even to “dominate their men,” said Reyes. 

Believers invoke Saint Martha Africana, a venerated figure in the practice. Her name, “La Dominadora,” underscores her role as a spirit who can control situations, compel others and resolve difficult problems. Often conflated with the Virgin Mary, this metersa is associated with strength, protection and snakes.

Customers crack eggs as an offering to Saint Martha on their way in and out of Centro Espiritual Carmen.