A voodoo master performed a spiritual cleansing outside Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, responding to fears that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had placed a curse on the Knicks. The ritual took place just before the first game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Curse of the Mambino
Concerns arose after Mayor Mamdani visited the New York Mets and hugged the team mascots, Mr. and Mrs. Met. Following his visit, the Mets embarked on a prolonged losing streak, which fans dubbed the “Curse of the Mambino.” This history led to anxiety that Mamdani’s potential attendance at the Knicks game could jinx the team.
Voodoo Ritual at MSG
Voodoo master Tata Tilk, whose real name is Michael Washington, conducted a Palo Mayombe spell an hour before tipoff. Palo Mayombe is an Afro-Cuban spiritual tradition; “palo” means “stick” in Spanish, and Mayombe refers to a region in western Africa. During the ritual, Washington used a cauldron containing human and animal bones along with other secret spiritual items to break the alleged hex.
“I command thee for no more spells from Mayor Mamdani on any team or anyone that interfere with their success,” Washington chanted outside the arena. “I’m here to protect the Knicks from his malevolent magic.”
Game Outcome
The Knicks initially struggled and appeared headed for a lopsided loss by the end of the third quarter. However, their fortunes reversed in the final period, tying the game and forcing overtime. They ultimately won 115-104, taking a 1-0 series lead.
Washington, 46, advised Mamdani to stay away from New York sports teams, citing the mayor’s apparent negative influence. “He’s basically showing the magic abilities that he has through cursing an entire team, in other words, multiple people, like multiple counterparts, like all at once,” Tilk explained. “It was a spell to basically not have Mamdani curse the Knicks, because we were nervous about him coming (Tuesday night), and he might possibly curse the Knicks, so I did the match for it. He wouldn’t be able to curse the Knicks, so no Mambino curses here.”
