Grissi Siknis: The Magic Sickness of the Jungle

The jungle madness known as Grissi Siknis is a contagious, natural syndrome that occurs among the Miskito of Eastern Central America, effecting mainly young women.  Symptoms include long periods of anxiety, nausea, dizziness, irrational anger and fear, interlaced with periods of frenzy in which the victims loses consciousness, and often  believes devils are beating them.

Traditional Miskito belief holds that Grissi Siknis is the result of evil spirits or black sorcerers. While western medicine typically has no effect on those afflicted with the disease, remedies of Miskito herbalists or healers are often successful in curing the madness.

This frightening documentary analyzes for the very first time this unknown and supernatural disease. Is it the spirits protesting how nature is being destroyed while they possess the minds of the natives? Is it a disease caused by the cultural clash of a rushed and late colonization? Or, are we just witnessing fraud and black magic?