Author Archives: Hector Hernandez

Borrowed Keys

Nationality: American/Mexican
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: West Covina, CA
Language: English/Spanish

TEXT: “When I was a lot younger, my grandfather passed away, and I was heartbroken. I tried not to remember him so I wouldn’t get sad and start crying, but when that wouldn’t work, my mom started a wholesome joke to keep his memory alive. Anytime someone would misplace something or lose it, she would say, “Abuelo probably borrowed it”. It was a little thing that meant a lot, since he would always misplace things or lose them and borrow other people’s instead. One morning, I was looking for my keys, since we needed to leave for a family dinner, and I couldn’t find them for the life of me. I looked all around my room and our house, but no luck. As I finished checking our kitchen and living room, I headed back up to my room in hopes of finding them, and there they were. My keys were sitting on my desk when I walked back in, and when I told my mom, she laughed and said, “Abuelo’s always around”.

CONTEXT: This short personal narrative describes the quiet impact of grief and the small, meaningful ways families keep loved ones present after they’ve passed. The narrator recalls the death of their grandfather during childhood and how that early loss brought emotional difficulty. In response, the narrator’s mother introduces a gentle family tradition: joking that “Abuelo probably borrowed it” whenever something goes missing. This phrase becomes a wholesome coping mechanism that transforms grief into connection.

ANALYSIS: This memorate serves as a wholesome example of how families create small traditions that keep the memory of loved ones alive. The informant’s family marked the moment of loss in a gentle way by saying something meaningful that offered a small comfort, “Abuelo probably borrowed it.” The missing keys provide a bit of mystery, but it’s less about animating the dead and more about how memory, love, and belief intersect and interact in daily life. The mom’s response is an indication of how this small ritual comforts the grieving family and allows the grandfather to still have a presence in the family narrative, even though he has passed.

Dahlias for Tía

Nationality: American/Mexican
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: West Covina, CA
Language: English/Spanish

TEXT: “My tia (aunt) had a thing for dahlia flowers. Whenever we would walk around together and see Dahlia flowers, she would stop, pick one, smell it, and put it in her hat. Her house in Puebla, Mexico, always smelled of flowers, and she would never hesitate to have a bouquet of dahlias and roses in her entrance way. If she were sitting on the couch watching the news or reading her favorite books, she would be tending to her garden in the backyard. She passed away 2 years ago, but last year for Día de los Muertos, we planted Dahlias in her honor. The thing with Dahlia’s is that they take a long time to bloom. They don’t bloom for at least 90 days after planting. It was still a little cold in Puebla when we planted them, but one morning, about a month after we planted them, my dad opened up the kitchen window, and the air was thick with their scent even though they shouldn’t have bloomed yet. The smell was so strong it felt like she was with us again.”


CONTEXT: This memorate of the dahlia flowers and his aunt was told to by B, in the context of a bigger conversation about family traditions and cultural practices related to memorializing the deceased. B connected it with their tía from Puebla, Mexico, who had a love for dahlia flowers, and that association became part of the family observance of Día de los Muertos. By planting dahlias in the tía’s honor, the family was creating a cultural tradition that added meaning to a person they lost, while performing a cultural practice and making it personal with the memory of that deceased person.

ANALYSIS: This is a good example of how Día de los Muertos provides families comfort and connection to their loved ones who have passed. The informant’s tía had a strong relationship with dahlias, so planting dahlias was associated with honoring her. The dahlias weren’t supposed to bloom yet, but the random nature of their blooming and the smell felt like a sign, a reminder of her presence. The story does not attempt to explain the moment so much as describe how it felt. In addition, it shows how cultural rituals, like Día de los Muertos, can keep the memory of others alive through symbols, emotions, and shared experiences.

Popocatépetl’s Smoke

Nationality: American/Mexican
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: West Covina, CA
Language: English/Spanish

TEXT: “When I was little, my Abuelita would point out the volcanoes in the city where she grew up, Puebla City, Mexico. She would tell me the story of two volcanoes, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, the warrior and his sleeping princess.” She told me how the legend went, as they were once in love, but Iztaccíhuatl died before they could be together. In an attempt to honor her, Popocatépetl carried her to the mountains, and the gods turned them into volcanoes so they would be together forever. My abuelita believed that when Popocatépetl started smoking, it was him showing his love for the other mountain. The last time I was in Puebla, about 2 years ago, I looked up and the volcano was smoking.”

CONTEXT: This story is rooted in the traditional Mexican legend of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, which is widely known in central Mexico, especially in and around Puebla. The legend has been passed down for generations and reflects indigenous beliefs about love, death, and the natural world. In the story, two volcanoes are said to be the transformed bodies of a warrior and a princess, symbolizing eternal love and loss. The narrator shares a personal memory of their abuelita recounting this tale during visits to Puebla City, tying folklore to family, place, and lived experience.

ANALYSIS: The narrative blends cultural tradition with personal memory, making the retelling more intimate and emotionally resonant. The grandmother serves as a cultural transmitter, passing on not just the legend but her interpretation—that the volcano’s smoke is an expression of love. This belief turns a natural phenomenon into a meaningful sign, demonstrating how folklore often helps people connect emotion and environment. The narrator’s final observation—seeing the volcano smoking years later—reaffirms the legend’s emotional power, suggesting that even in the face of loss, love can still be seen, felt, and remembered through nature.

La Siguanaba

Nationality: American/Salvadoran
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Diego, CA
Language: English/Spanish

TEXT: “I have cousins in Sonsonate, El Salvador, and last summer, we stayed at my aunt’s place on the edge of town. One night, our power went out, and we sat outside to cool off, since the fans and air conditioning needed power to function. My cousin pointed toward this dark trail in the backyard, and he said, “That’s where La Siguanaba lives.” I asked him what a “Siguanaba” was, and he explained that it was a woman who looks majestic from behind, but has a horse’s face when you see her up close. He said she tricks men who are out late, especially if they’re drunk or cheating. I looked at him and laughed, but when I woke up the next morning, I looked over at the path and saw footsteps on the same trail, but everyone was still in the house. I told my cousin about it later in the day, and he said, “She only shows herself when she wants to.”

CONTEXT: This story refers to the Salvadoran legend of La Siguanaba, a folkloric myth of Central America, particularly in rural spaces such as Sonsonate. In the classic readings of the tale, La Siguanaba is a beautiful woman from behind, who seduces unfaithful or reckless men, then turning to show a terrible face, and is often described as having a horse’s head. The legend is most frequently used as a moral cautionary tale, with the intent of being shared between generations as a lesson in morals or tradition. In this adaptation, the narrator shares an experience from when he was visiting family in El Salvador. E explained how the myth was told to him in a casual conversation during a blackout, an event where myths, especially scary stories, can leave a longer lasting impact.

ANALYSIS: This memorate is an example of how folklore is kept alive through personal stories and family conversations. E mentions that the legend was shared during a power outage, which makes the legend feel more natural and believable. The cousin doesn’t try to prove that the legend is real, but instead just explains the story the way it was told to him. The footprints add a mystery element to the legend, making the listener wonder if the legend could be true. Even though no one saw her, the cousin’s final comment talking about how she only shows herself when she wants to, helps keep the story going, providing a continuation of the tale.

El Padre Sin Cabeza

Nationality: American/Salvadoran
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Diego, CA
Language: English/Spanish

TEXT: “My mom was raised in Suchitoto, a municipality in El Salvador, and when we visited her side of the family, she pointed out a church, Iglesia Santa Lucia, and said, ‘That’s where they say El Padre Sin Cabeza walks at night.’ She told me the story of a priest who was punished for a sin long ago, and now he roams the town at night, headless, searching for peace. She said people hear church bells ring late at night, even when no one is making them ring. My cousins and I were always too scared to go near the church, even my older cousins didn’t want to explore the streets at night, since we were all scared of the legend. It seems like in our religious family, it wasn’t about seeing him but about what happens when you break your word or lose your way.”

CONTEXT: This memorate was shared by the informant, E, during a conversation about legends from his home country. E shared this story that his mother told him, rooted in the Salvadoran legend of El Padre Sin Cabeza, which is a very well-known legend that is passed down across generations, especially in smaller towns. Though the story did not involve a direct encounter with the legend, the legend shows how oral traditions and folklore are preserved and shared in different ways within families, especially in religious or culturally prevalent settings.

ANALYSIS: This is an example of how legends are passed down through family and tied to real places. While the intention of the story is kept the same, the interpretation changes as new people hear it and as it gets passed down through generations. In El Salvador, the tale of El Padre Sin Cabeza is well known, especially in smaller towns, but instead of telling it as a scary story, E’s mom shared it as part of their visits to her hometown, which gave the story a more meaningful interpretation. Even without seeing anything strange, the story shaped how E and his cousins behaved, avoiding the church and the streets and night, showing how legends can influence, not just through belief, but through family and memory.