Spooky Szn Edition
(ITEMS NEEDED):
For the best experience possible, consider grabbing the following items:
- Big, fluffy, tiger blanket
- Most, if not all Mexican grandmothers have one of these. Ask to borrow one :)
- Chocolate Abuelita y pan dulce (Mexican hot chocolate & sweet bread)
- You can find these goodies at your local Mexican store or Walmart sometimes has them!
- Fire
- Outdoor fires are the best, but you can have a digital one!
“Noche de Brujas.” It is the Spanish term for Halloween for those wondering what that means. The other more well-known term is “La Vispera del dia de Todos los Santos.” Halloween in a Mexican household can either be super chaotic and fun or not. There are families who choose not to celebrate the day as it goes against their religion. However, in my case, my family loves Halloween. When my cousins and I were younger, it was known that we would gather at one of our relative’s houses and start trick-or-treating. We would then return to said relative’s house, sort our candy, have a bonfire, and start las leyendas (legends). Now, the tales vary from region to region in Mexico, so some of the details may differ. One thing is for certain, they will leave you on the edge of your seat (it should also be noted that they are told in order for children to not misbehave).
Starting off with the first leyenda, La Llorona. Also known as The Weeping Woman, this is one of the more popular tales. Some versions have the woman as being married with two children and then finding out her husband cheated on her with someone younger and more beautiful. Others detail her as already having two children and meeting a wealthy partner who would refuse to marry due to her children. All stories end with her drowning the children in a river. Immediately, she feels guilt and remorse. Being unable to bring her children back, she roams towns weeping. Most sightings place her at rivers or have her coming out during rain storms. Nevertheless, she is said to be dressed in a white gown and appears normal at first. She lures children with her “nice” appearance and then turns ugly. Her clothes are no longer white but rather dirty and her face turns pale. It is said that she has no mercy and will take people’s children in replace of her own.
El Cucuy is also one of the more popular tales used to scare children into behaving. I remember my Abuelita saying “No hagas eso Beyonce sino el cucuy va a venir por ti.” Basically warning me to stop messing around or else he would come for me. Essentially, el Cucuy is like the Mexican version of America’s boogeyman. While there is not a set description of what he looks like, he is said to have a frightening face and lurk in the dark corners of the night.
The next leyenda can be associated with the myth of Bigfoot. The Chupacabra is a dog-alien hybrid creature said to go around small villages and suck the blood out of farm animals, but in specific goats as its name translates to goat sucker. Some tales claim it to run at very high speeds and as having red glowing eyes. Nonetheless, many farmers were concerned as several of their animals were showing up dead. No one was sure what was going on or how to stop it. Until one day, a farmer witnessed the Chupacabra murdering one of his animals and ran to tell everyone. Ultimately, this legend has been passed down from generation to generation. My Abuelita recalls it as being one of the reasons why people from her town would not leave their animals out of the barn at night. Moreover, many use it to this day as an explanation as to why one’s cats or dogs go missing.
La Mano Peluda. Think of the Thing from the Addams Family. La Mano Peluda (the hairy hand) was used and still is to make children stay in bed and fall asleep. My friend details her mother singing a song about it tapping on the door and then ringing a bell making its presence known. She said it terrified her as a little kid but for many, it continues to, and so they cover themselves up with any and all blankets. Nevertheless, this legend’s origin dates back to the Spanish Inquisition time. According to Araceli Cruz’s article “5 Latino Legends That Will Keep You Up At Night,” “ [ . . .] the hand was the only remaining living part of a man who was killed during the Inquisition, and so he sought revenge by haunting Latinx children” (1). With this in mind, many children were left with the thought of it creeping up their beds and snatching them before being able to call for help.
Last but not least, las Brujas. Witches are known in many cultures, not only the Mexican one. However, it is believed witches have the power to shapeshift. They appear to be normal ladies walking in the streets but then fly away as owls in a matter of seconds. Being one of the reasons why seeing an owl is associated with bad luck because a witch is supposedly near. On a different note, witches are believed to prey on newborns if not baptized. Thus, many Mexican moms make it a priority to baptize their children right after birth. My Abuelita claims that something, not certain if it was a witch, tried taking my aunt out of her crib when they lived in Mexico. Whatever it might have been, the tales of las brujas is one that resonates with many. Myself included.
Overall, these leyendas are used as tools to make sure children behave. They are also used to entertain and add to the spooky atmosphere that comes with Halloween. Nonetheless, to know if they are true or not, one may never find out. Until you wish you hadn’t . . .
Works Cited
Cruz, Araceli. “5 Latino Urban Legends That Will Keep You Up at Night.” The Americano, Courier Newsroom, 1 Oct. 2021, theamericanonews.com/2021/10/01/latino-urban-legends/.