Alum Stone (Piedra Alumbre)
SKU:
PA9
$5.00
$5.00
per item
Alum Stone (Piedra Alumbre) is a hard crystalline stone that ha long been believed to possess powerful healing properties. It is used both medicinally and magically in many folk traditions, including Latin American, Espiritismo, Hoodoo and other African-derived religious and spiritual traditions.
Alum Stone (Piedra Alumbre) can be added to mojo hands and any formula to enhance its power and magnify its effects. It is added to powdered incense and herbal mixtures and it can be used to fix candles for spellwork. As a cleansing agent, it can be added to floor washes and bath water, or a solid piece of alum can be rubbed over the body to remove negative energy. In addition, alum is known to be a cure for the Latin American condition called Susto and is used as an amulet to ward off the Evil Eye.
Comes in a small jar approximately .75 oz.
Alum Stone (Piedra Alumbre) can be added to mojo hands and any formula to enhance its power and magnify its effects. It is added to powdered incense and herbal mixtures and it can be used to fix candles for spellwork. As a cleansing agent, it can be added to floor washes and bath water, or a solid piece of alum can be rubbed over the body to remove negative energy. In addition, alum is known to be a cure for the Latin American condition called Susto and is used as an amulet to ward off the Evil Eye.
Comes in a small jar approximately .75 oz.
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Alum Stone a Virginity Stone?
by Lilia Josi Ndangue and Docteur Joseph
The Observers
Alum stone, which has astringent properties, is used throughout the world to make cosmetics, in particular deodorant and aftershave. But in Cameroon and several other African countries, it is sought after for another reason: traditional beliefs hold that it can restore a woman’s virginity. Because there is a lot of pressure on women to be virgins until marriage in some African communities, alum stone is used in a variety of ways as a folk remedy for women's health.
In Western Cameroon, alum stone is called wothi, while on the coast it is called loba, meaning God's thunder. According to journalist Ndangue Liliane Josiane Rose:
The Observers
Alum stone, which has astringent properties, is used throughout the world to make cosmetics, in particular deodorant and aftershave. But in Cameroon and several other African countries, it is sought after for another reason: traditional beliefs hold that it can restore a woman’s virginity. Because there is a lot of pressure on women to be virgins until marriage in some African communities, alum stone is used in a variety of ways as a folk remedy for women's health.
In Western Cameroon, alum stone is called wothi, while on the coast it is called loba, meaning God's thunder. According to journalist Ndangue Liliane Josiane Rose:
Women crush it into powder and mix it with water; sometimes, they add a bit of lemon juice or honey. They then use the concoction to clean their private parts, as the stone’s powder kills bacteria. But this mixture also provokes a momentary contraction of the vagina, which can give the appearance of virginity to a woman who has already had sexual relations.
Alum stone is most often used for this purpose in the northern regions of Cameroon, as well as in some parts of Nigeria. It’s commonly used by Hausa people [one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa]. In areas where the majority of the population is Muslim, there is a lot of pressure on women to be virgins until their wedding night. If a woman is not a virgin, she runs the risk of being shunned by her husband, and the other women in her family will also be looked down upon.
In other regions, alum stone is used by prostitutes. They use it to clean themselves, but also because they believe it improves the quality of sex.
Doctor Joseph is a gynecologist in Yaoundé. In 2010, he worked in a clinic in northern Cameroon where he treated women suffering from health issues stemming from their use of alum stone.
This so-called virginity is very short-lived, and sometimes the stone has no effect at all. However, its effects on a woman’s health are catastrophic.
In general, women should not put any products in their vaginas, since vaginas have a self-cleaning mechanism. Alum stone destroys the vaginal flora that helps protect women from sexually transmitted diseases. Moreover, because the stone’s powder has the consistency of sand, it inevitably provokes irritations, which can lead to serious cases of vaginitis. Finally, if a woman uses alum stone regularly, it will cause the vagina walls to become rigid, and they can then tear when they give birth. This technique should absolutely not be used.
As doctors, the problem we face is that women often wait too long to get medical help, because doing this means conceding that they lied about their virginity.
This practice is not on the rise, which is why the authorities haven’t really tackled the problem, even though it causes real issues and there is a dire lack of information about it.
Source
"The "virginity stone" costing Cameroonian women their health"
http://observers.france24.com/en/20140131-virginity-alum-stone-cameroon-women-health
"The "virginity stone" costing Cameroonian women their health"
http://observers.france24.com/en/20140131-virginity-alum-stone-cameroon-women-health
