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Myths and Legends of Latin America – Part 1

- August 12, 2021
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If you’re fascinated with the unexplained or bizarre happenings in the form of myths and legends you have come to the right place. Myths and legends are typically passed down through generations and are unique to various countries and cultures.

We love a good story that tells the tale of mythical creatures and exciting historical legends. Today at DayTranslations, our search for more myths and legends has landed us in Latin America whose culture is rich with folklore.

We have placed three Latin American countries under the microscope so we can explore, in-depth, the intricacies of the myths and legends told in each.

Let’s start our story in Venezuela.

 

Venezuela – The Whistler (El Silbon)

According to this well-known legend, The Whistler, also known as El Silbon is a tall and skinny, terrifying man who haunts the Los Llanos region. The legend states that the ghost is an evil young boy who was starving and killed his father to eat his organs. 

As punishment for murdering his father, the boy’s grandfather tied him to a tree and whipped him. After doing this, the boy’s grandfather then released two ravenous black dogs who would bite his ankles as he screamed in pain. The Whistler eventually got free and fled into the jungle where he was never seen alive again. He is said to be damned forever to walk the region as a lost soul, carrying a bag filled with his father’s bones. 

The Whistler got his name from the dissonant bone-chilling whistling sound he emits when he walks. But don’t be fooled because when the whistling sounds far away, The Whistler is very close by. Most variations of this story claim that people barely notice the melancholic music until it’s too late. Ironically, The Whistler’s main victims are wrongdoers such as adulterers. However, many people claim that he also attacks drunkards.

Mexico- The Weeping Woman (La Llorona)

Possibly the most popular Mexican legend to date is the tale of The Weeping Woman, better known as La Llorona. We’ve seen the movie and heard of her sightings, but on the off chance that this is your first time hearing about this Mexican legend, we’ll tell you all about it right here. 

Mexican children grew up hearing the tales of La Llorona, an evil spirit whose wrongdoings in life left her trapped on Earth where she haunts and torments young children. The story is told of a beautiful woman who drowns her children when she sees her husband with another woman. When she realizes what she has done, she drowns herself.  

As her punishment, La Llorona is not allowed to enter the afterlife until she finds her children and is banished to wander the Earth in search of them. La Llorona wanders the earth constantly weeping and will attack and kidnap wandering children who bear a resemblance to her missing ones.  Other versions of the story claim she attacks cheating husbands. The legend also states that she floats near bodies of water. This is a tale parents have used for generations to keep their children in the house at night.

Peru- Pishtaco

The mythological Peruvian boogeyman known as Pishtaco is described as an evil night roaming fat stealer who stalks and haunts rural indigenous communities. In Southern Peru, he is known as ‘the butcher’. Some stories claim that Pishtaco is a bearded monster-like man, clad in a hat and leather jacket.

Pishtaco is derived from the word “pishtay” which means to behead or cut into slices. Legend states that you should never fall asleep if you suspect he is near. It warns people never to walk alone at night on the roads, either. If you meet Pishtaco on a path, he will use his incantations or powdered human bones to put you into a deep sleep.

 

While you sleep he extracts the fat surrounding your organs with his knife, or with his special machine. When you finally awaken he is gone and you feel weak and fall sick. In a few days, you will die. Pishtaco is said to sell his victim’s fat primarily to make medicine and beauty products.

 

Conclusion of Part 1

If it’s one thing we know, it’s that these Latin American myths and legends are as exciting as they are scary! We hope that you were able to learn a bit more about Latin American countries and the legends unique to Venezuela, Mexico, and Peru.

Here at Day Translations, we love to tell and hear stories from all reaches of the globe. We are committed to helping you tell your story by offering you professional translation services for all your translation needs.

Let us help you to improve your international communication through our accurate localized translations. We’ve got you covered!

 

    Categories: Culture