Mexico is a land full of mysteries and legends dating back to our ancestors. Pre-Hispanic cultures worshipped gods seeking an answer to natural disasters as well as unexplained events. From them, certain fantastic beings emerged. With time, they have been incorporated with new characteristics due to the cultural mix our country has experienced. People who claim to be witnesses of their existence have resulted in a rise of mythological creatures. Each fantastic creature is part of the Mexican folklore so varied, curious and enigmatic.
Myths are clues about the spiritual potential of human life. The very powers that animate our lives, encouraging life in this world. The telling of the legends and myths of Mexico always begin by saying, “In Mexico, the legend says…” Are there any mysterious Mexican legends or myths? Yes, there are many and the tale we tell of La Llorona is just one. But first, you should know that in Spanish we begin a myth or a legend with the phrase, “Cuenta la leyenda,” or we use another common phrase, “Hace mucho tiempo,” which means a long time ago. Either phrase gives us the idea that the story we are about to tell happened at least a couple of centuries ago and there is something scary about it, which keeps it going from generation to generation.
Mexican Mythology
Mexico’s mythology, like its population, reflects a blend of Native American and Spanish influences. Most people in modern Mexico trace their ancestry to Native Americans, to the Spanish who controlled Mexico for three centuries, or to both, in a mixed-race heritage called mestizo. In the same way, Mexican religion, myths, and legends are a blend of Indian traditions, European influences such as Christianity, and mixtures of the two. The Maya Indian villagers believe, for example, that the chacs, ancient rain spirits, are controlled by Jesus Christ and accompanied in their movement across the skies by the Virgin Mary, his mother. Mexican mythology is a product of syncretism—a process in which two belief systems merge to form one that is different from either of the original systems or in which a new belief system overlies an older one that has not disappeared.
Mexican Mythological Creatures
In all parts of the world, there will always be a myth regarding fictional creatures that can give a good or sometimes bad reputation to a place. These myths were made because people still feel that somehow, the evil force still haunts them; that is why some mythological creatures and stories are still alive up to this day. It has been passed down from generation to generation, and sometimes the stories may be tweaked a bit, but these creatures still live through the imagination of the people. Just like in Mexico, there are mythological creatures that were made even before the Conquest. This is the time when the Spanish conquerors landed with their beliefs and ideas. And each group has its rites and gods, and this is where these creatures and myths began to spread.
Legend of the Cempasuchil Flower
This beautiful legend recounts the love story of two young Aztecs, Xóchitl and Huitzilin, a romance from which the cempasuchil flower was born. This wonderful love story began when the two young Aztecs were still little. They used to spend all their spare time playing and enjoying discovering their town together. Although Xochitl was a delicate girl, her family let her join in the adventures of her neighbor Huitzilin. With time, it was only natural that their love would flourish. They particularly enjoyed hiking to the top of a near mountain where they would offer flowers to the Sun god Tonatiuh. The god seemed to appreciate their offering and would smile from the sky with his warm rays. On a particularly beautiful day at the top of the mountain, they swore that their love would last for ever.
Legend of Xunaan & The Young Warrior
[Maya Legend]
Bolonchen de Rejon is a beautiful village in the state of Quintana Roo. Bolonchen means Nine Cenotes. Legend has it that guided by a wise man, the first settlers of Bolonchen arrived at the place where they found nine cenotes, or deep natural wells created by the gods to collect rain water. But it was not easy for them to take over the place. For years they had to fight, led by a brave young man and a great warrior. In the town lived a beautiful young woman named Xunaan, whose sweetness and kindness won her the love of all the settlers. They say that her voice had the beautiful sound of water springs. The young warrior upon laying eyes on her immediately fell in love. He could think of nothing else than the enchanting Xunaan. His love was corresponded, as she also was madly in love with him; but between them was the mother of Xunaan, who afraid of losing her daughter, decided to hide her in a cave in Akumal.
Legend of Maize
[Quetzalcoatl and the Corn Plant]
An ancient legend tells the story that before the arrival of the god Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs only consumed roots and game animals; they did not eat corn because it was beyond their reach, hidden behind the massive mountains surrounding the city. The other gods had already sought to part the mountains for the Aztecs to gain access to this precious food, but they never succeeded. The Aztec people sent their priests to ask Quetzalcoatl to help them get the corn. He answered them that he would go and bring them back this precious food. All of the other gods had already tried to move the mountains by using force, Quetzalcoatl decided to use something more powerful… intelligence.
Mexican culture is rich in history and traditions, many reflected in legends, fables and myths. Here follows the legend of cocoa-chocolate and the mythical god Quetzalcoatl. This ancient legend recounts the story of how the god Quetzalcoatl gave the Toltecs precious cocoa grains. This generous god wanted his people to be well fed and by being healthy dedicate themselves to improve and be the best people they could be, studious, knowledgable, generous artistically talented. It is said that Quetzalcóatl stole the cocoa tree from paradise where all the other gods lived and he planted the small bush in Tula, Mexico. Quetzalcoatl After planting the small tree he asked Tlaloc, the god of water to send rain to the area so the plant could thrive and grow. Later he visited Xochiquetzal, the goddess of love and beauty and requested she would give the tree beautiful flowers. In time the small tree flowered and produced the coca fruit.
Quetzalcoatl, one of the main deities of pre-Hispanic civilizations, is present in most of 15th-century Mesoamerica. From the beginning, he has been attributed countless mysteries: he is considered a man, a deity, a priest, a myth or a legend. The origin of his name comes from the Nahuatl and means “Quetzal”: a bird of beautiful plumage and “Coatl”, which means snake, resulting in what is commonly known as “the Plumed Serpent.” This deity was one of the most popular in Hispanic tradition and refers to the union of terrestrial and rain waters, which, among agricultural peoples, was essential for their survival, thus signifying the origin of life itself. There are countless representations in history and art of Quetzalcoatl. Here we will feature a few of the most representative or interesting portrayals of this mystical figure.
Legend of Our Lady of Solitude & the Mule
An ancient story recounts the story of Oaxaca’s Our Lady of Solitude. Legend has it that in 1620 a mule driver, guiding his mulas, mules train through the streets of Oaxaca on his way to Guatemala, suddenly discovered he had an extra animal, carrying a huge box on his back. Outside the San Sebastian hermitage, the mule collapsed under the burden it was carrying. The mule driver unsuccessfully tried to get her on her feet. Finally, in order to avoid being punished he alerted the authorities who lifted the box. The burro stood up and immediately died. The officials were curious to see what was inside this box. They opened it and found inside the image of the Blessed Virgin of Solitude accompanied by Christ on it, along with a sign that said, The Virgin by the Cross. This amazing event motivated Bishop Bartolome Bojorquez to order a sanctuary built in honor of the divinity. Tourists who visit Oaxaca find a large boulder at the entrance marking the spot where the mula died from the weight of the box. Our Lady of Solitude is the patroness of Oaxaca. Every December 18, Oaxaqueños celebrate the day of the Queen of Oaxaca and is carried through the streets of the city on many religious celebrations.
Legend of Popol Vuh
[en Espanol]
The Popol Vuh or “Council Book” gathers part of the wisdom and traditions of the Mayan culture established primarily in the Quiche region of Guatemala. It is a conjunction of religion, mythology, history, astrology, customs and legends that describes the origin of the world, civilization and the various phenomena that occur in nature. To the Quiche, the Popol Vuh is like the Bible for Christians in that its teachings marked their behavior and customs. The meaning of the terms that make up the name are: “Popol“, the Mayan word for reunion; community; common house or meeting, and the word “Vuh“, meaning book; paper, or the tree from whose bark they made paper. Thus, this book can be understood to mean the “Book of the Community”. Still much is unknown about the Maya and, contrary to what was believed for some time, this culture reached an amazing level of development. The Maya’s social and political organization was established and ordered by laws and codes; they were impressively knowledgeable in the areas of astronomy, mathematics, medicine, herbal medicine and agriculture. They had an extremely accurate calendar divided into three accounts: the sacred or “Tzolkin“, the civil or “Haab“, and the “long count”.
La Llorona A five-century-old lamentation
[En Espanol]
For over 500 years and even in the age of space travel and global warming, in many parts of Mexico you can still hear the echo of a lamentation. A woman wanders in the middle of the night, through vacant lots, in alleyways with walls of volcanic rock or of quarry stone; weeping over the death of her children. Dressed in white, with her loose hair; this woman still makes children as well as old-timers tremble with terror, from the lowlands of the Bajío region and even to the southeast of Mexico. She’s “La Llorona”- (The Weeping Woman). This is the ancient legend that every Mexican child hears either from the mouth of his grandfather or passed on by some school friend that wants to play a joke on him. There’s even a rock’ n roll song that reflects the way that we still get together with this mythical woman. But the Weeping Woman is much more than a ghost or an apparition. It’s got nothing to do with horrible women with bloody eyes or sharp, pointed teeth. It’s not just a paranormal entity or nor some insane woman who inspired a tale. La Llorona is a woman both faceless and ageless, a compendium of many symbols and pre-Hispanic deities. She’s both a condemned woman and at the same time, a goddess bearing an ominous message.
Aztec mythology is the body or collection of myths of the Aztec civilization of Central Mexico. The Aztecs were Nahuatl-speaking groups living in central Mexico and much of their mythology is similar to that of other Mesoamerican cultures. According to legend, the various groups who were to become the Aztecs arrived from the north into the Anahuac valley around Lake Texcoco. The location of this valley and lake of destination is clear – it is the heart of modern Mexico City – but little can be known with certainty about the origin of the Aztec. There are different accounts of their origin. In the myth, the ancestors of the Mexica/Aztec came from a place in the north called Aztlan, the last of seven nahuatlacas (Nahuatl-speaking tribes, from tlaca, “man”) to make the journey southward, hence their name “Azteca.” Other accounts cite their origin in Chicomoztoc, “the place of the seven caves,” or at Tamoanchan (the legendary origin of all civilizations). The Mexica/Aztecs were said to be guided by their god Huitzilopochtli, meaning “Left-handed Hummingbird” or “Hummingbird from the South.” At an island in Lake Texcoco, they saw an eagle holding a rattlesnake in its talons, perched on a nopal cactus. This vision fulfilled a prophecy telling them that they should found their new home on that spot. The Aztecs built their city of Tenochtitlan on that site, building a great artificial island, which today is in the center of Mexico City. This legendary vision is pictured on the Coat of Arms of Mexico.
Maya mythology is part of Mesoamerican mythology and comprises all of the Maya tales in which personified forces of nature, deities, and the heroes interacting with these play the main roles. Other parts of Maya oral tradition (such as animal tales and many moralizing stories) do not properly belong to the domain of mythology, but rather to legend and folk tale. The oldest written Maya myths date from the 16th century and are found in historical sources from the Guatemalan Highlands. The most important of these documents is the Popol Vuh which contains Quichean creation stories and some of the adventures of the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque. Yucatán is an equally important region. The Books of Chilam Balam contain mythological passages of great antiquity, and mythological fragments are found scattered among the early-colonial Spanish chronicles and reports, chief among them Diego de Landa’s Relación, and in the dictionaries compiled by the early missionaries.
10 MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES OF MEXICO
ALUX
Alux or alux’Ob comes from the maya culture that developed in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize in which they were considered nature caretakers. According to legends, they were tiny beings older than the sun. They are related to elves in their physical likeness since their size is that of a tiny being with a mischievous character and with indigenous traits. Representations of them can be found in Chiapas at Yaxchilán and Nohoch mul, Quintana Roo in Coba. They were created by the maya wise men, also called shamans. A ritual was performed that consisted of using virgin clay extracted from a cave with which the creature was molded along with nine drops of the blood of the creature´s owner. This was intended to develop a connection between master and servant. It was the owner’s responsibility to make altars with offerings for his alux. These usually contained corn, pozole or regional grains. In return, the alux took care of the land, crops, and animals of thieves by throwing stones, making them stumble or whistling. This period of care had to last seven years.
DZULÚM
This creature has two inquisitive stories in two different regions of México; in Yucatán, there is a story about the dzulúm that bears the name Balam,Mayan word for jaguar. In this story, we’re told that this being’s purpose is to take care of the land and crops. Its appearance is that of a man with a very long beard, as an older man. There are four of them according to the cardinal points, each protecting their corresponding properties. In Chiapas, the name of the creature is that of the dzulúm which means the desire to die, differing from Yucatan’s tradition, in Chiapas, it is said that this going out to protect its dominions at night, that even other felines offer it food because they are afraid of it. It is said that we don’t deserve to see its figure. The few who have managed to see it or imagine him describe him as a very large feline with grey fur, spots, and white fur on its spine. Its victims are usually women, so it is believed that it can have an irresistible attraction and it is even said that many make a pact with the creature to become witches and leave their souls behind. Today, many mention that it is the representation of suicide in ancient times.
NAHUAL
The nahual has its origin in the Nahuatl language, meaning hidden disguise. It is a creature that can transform into an animal. Often described as a sorcerer who can transform for the practice of witchcraft. Traditions say that we are all born with an animal spirit that protects and guides us, so the nahual seeks to become them to improve their capabilities. Those who were born with the spirit of the hawk possessed the gift of good sight, wolves possessed the gift of an advanced sense of smell, so those who had the opportunity to be nahuales used their skills for their purposes, regardless of whether they were for good or evil. The story of the nahual is full of mysteries, as some claim that they are beings who seek to understand the ancient world of the gods through nature and those who accuse them of being evil creatures.
AHUÍZOTL
The ahuizotl is a being that inhabited the Texcoco lake so it is believed to be currently extinct. It was a creature with small ears, a long tail that resembled that of a monkey’s hand, claws and sharp teeth with the appearance of a very shaped dog. The translation of its name would be “the thorny water”. Legend has it that this was a being at the disposal of the rain gods which had the task of reclaiming the bodies of those chosen by the divine beings to possess their soul. In order to do this, the creature sometimes imitated the sound of a baby to be able to attract prey and in that instant took away their eyes, nails and teeth, then they were drowned so that the priests would have to treat the person with extreme care for their bodies as they had already been chosen by the gods. This being usually caught fishermen by whirling in the water and sprouting fish and frogs.
ATOTOLIN
The atotolin is known as the bird king of Aztec culture. It is a creature also known as a water hen. Its appearance was somewhat yellow, with a slender body and large head. The hunting of this bird was very difficult; if on the fourth day they could not reach it, it would launch a song with strong winds that would sink canoes and stop the heart of the hunters or drown them. If they were able to hunt it, at the moment of opening the stomach of the creature, one could know the fate of the hunter, if he found a piece of coal, it was said that the hunter would have an early death while if he found a precious stone, it foretold a good future.
CHANEQUE
The chaneques are creatures that come from the Mexicas. Their name has two translations: the first is those who live in dangerous places. The second is the owners of the house. Their appearance could change from a tiny man or woman, their footprints were white. It was believed that they were beings linked to the underworld, dedicated to taking care of the mountains, forests, springs, trees, plants and wild animals and also possessed a mischievous and ingenious character. Sometimes they stole an essential part of their soul, called tonalli, which was vital life energy, so they had to perform rituals to return it, otherwise, the person might fail. One of the beliefs said you must wear your clothes inside out while walking through the mountains so that the Chaneques wouldn’t bother you. Nowadays the chaneques are known as tiny beings with the appearance of children who make jokes, hide things from you and can even lead people into getting lost.
CIPACTLI
The cipactli is part of Aztec mythology. Its name can be translated to “the black lizard”. It was a voracious creature often seen as half fish or crocodile, or another creature. This being is always hungry and has 18 mouths. Legend has it that Tezcatlipoca had to use his foot as bait to attract him. The gods used the body of this creature to create heaven and earth. In the aztec calendar, it was given the name of the first month to represent that we are all primitive at the beginning of life but as we grow we transform into something beautiful, so the last month of the aztec calendar is called Xochitl which means flower.
DTUNDTUNCAN
It is a mythological Maya creature whose name has the Spanish meaning of “the one who goes through the sky”. Its appearance is that of a blackbird with a very large beak, it has no eyes and looks like a shell because it seems to have no soul. It is too much feared because it feeds on the children at night, furrows the sky until they are asleep and enters their rooms, where it approaches the mouths of the infants, to blow into their mouths a wind of death, its mere presence is an omen of death. For a long time, it was said that it lived near the pyramids of Uxmal and Chichén Itzá, but due to the passage of time, it is said that it went into the jungles. Legend has it that once, there was a Maya shaman who dedicated himself to the healing and care of children and maidens of the place where he lived. One day, while looking for medicinal herbs, he fell in love with a maiden to whom he sang, wrote poems and gave all his heart, but the woman did not respond to his affections. The shaman then said that he would take his revenge for the humiliation he suffered. A long time passed, the maiden became pregnant with the son of the heir to the throne and gave birth to a beautiful baby who would be the future of all the people, but tragedy filled this story when, in August, when the temperatures are warmer and the flowers begin to bear fruit, a man entered the infant’s quarters, he approached the ear singing a melodious and harmonious song that led the child to death. All the people witnessed how the flame of the future was extinguished, then other shamans and wise men cursed the shaman turning him into a soulless bird, destined to have a beautiful song but full of evil and death.
TLAHUELPUCHI
The tlatlepuchi or tlahuelpuchi means “light perfumer”. It is a well-known creature in many regions of Mexico, being the main Tlaxcala. It is said to be a woman who likes to feed on blood and have telepathic powers. There are many stories about its origin, some mention that it is the mixture between a sorceress and vampire, others that it is a type of witch with the ability to turn into steam. It is said that its favourite food is the blood of small animals although it can also be of larger animals. Others say there are also men called tlahuelpiches. The legend comes through the Aztecs who associated them with fireflies that spitfire, but to them, they were protective creatures transformed into evil with the arrival of miscegenation where it is believed that they were normal women who suffered some curse. Folklore calls them witches despite some differences since the tlatepuchi can be either alone or living among us without attacking their family. It is said that their power comes since they reach youth. Nowadays, many testimonies claim to see lights in the sky go away, so you should be very careful at night because if you run into one you could become tlatepuchi.
CHUPACABRAS
The chupacabras is known as an urban legend that comes from different regions of Latin America, mainly Mexico and Puerto Rico. Described as a being that attacks multiple livestock animals, its appearance is that of a wild dog with long nails and fangs which sometimes has scales or wings depending on the case. Its height is about two meters and it has some similarity in body composition with the werewolf. The fear arose when cattle were bitten and woke up with no trace of blood in their organs. This happened in the body of cows, sheep, and goats which seemed to be their favourite. It was feared that perhaps it could cause harm to humans. The creature left bites in the form of an inverted triangle. During the year 1996, 30 sheep appeared dead in Mexico, this began to create urban legends that perhaps there was an alien or a bat that was part of an experiment that went wrong. Although there were never concrete answers to the incidents at that time, two things were made very clear, the first is that the bats that live in Mexico are vegetarians and their diet is based on fruits, for this reason, the idea of this being the answer was discarded. The second, is perhaps that it was just some mangy animal that was in the area and that the media transformed the story. The popularity of this being is recognized by many citizens as a probable vampire that has not disappeared. It can be heard in songs and even gave rise to an expression of a political nature. Today, after much research, the experts mention that they may have been coyotes that live in the areas of Sonora and Puebla.
Indigenous Peoples Literature 