Tag Archives: Mexico

Familial Witch Legend

Age: 19
Hometown: Rifle, Colorado
Location: Mexico

Context: My friends family lives in Mexico. His family has passed down this story for years, with his mom eventually telling him the story.

Legend:

Interviewer: “Can you tell me about the with legend that has been passed down in your family.”

Interviewee: “They lived in Mexico my great aunt my grandma’s sister and I think she’s always had diabetes or something and they used to go to a witch and then she would like do prayers or whatever, over her so she could get better.

But she wasn’t getting any better so then they were like we need to go see someone else like this girl is false. So they went to go see someone else and the second witch told her the reason you’re not getting better is because the first which she had was doing harm to her. She was actually like making spells against you. And then they were like the only way you can get rid of this is if you kill her (the witch).

So my grandma and my great aunt and my great uncle were like OK well she needs to get better so we’re gonna kill her. They asked her to come over to do a prayer worship and my great uncle murdered her with a machete. And then I think he fled to the US and she stayed and she went to jail for like conspiracy and then like authorities found him in the US and sent him back to Mexico and he like went to jail and stuff. And like I know they got out like on good behavior or something.”

Analysis:

This legend reflects how traditional healing beliefs and the fear of harm from the supernatural can influence real-life decisions. Feelings of trust and desperation are also present, as there is a need to explain illness with no clear solution.

Nachito’s Tomb and the Fear of Darkness

Age: 19

Age: 19

Context:

This story was told to me by a friend during a conversation about cultural ghost stories and urban legends. It is a well-known legend from Guadalajara, Mexico, and is commonly associated with the Panteón de Belén cemetery. Stories like this are often shared within families or communities and are sometimes retold during visits to the cemetery or in discussions about local folklore.

Text:

TC: “There’s this really famous ghost story from Guadalajara about a little boy named Nachito. He lived in the 1800s, and apparently, he had an extreme fear of the dark. Like, he couldn’t sleep unless there was light around him.

TC: When he died, his family buried him in the cemetery like normal, but people started saying that strange things were happening around his grave. Some versions of the story say that his coffin would move or shift overnight, like something was trying to get out.

TC: Because of this, his mother believed that he was still afraid of the darkness even after death. So she had his coffin taken out of the ground and placed above it, where it could be exposed to light.

TC: People say she would keep candles or torches around it so he wouldn’t be left in the dark. Over time, it became a known spot in the cemetery, and visitors started leaving toys for him.

TC: Even today, people still bring toys to Nachito’s tomb because they believe his spirit is still there. Some say that if you don’t bring him something, his ghost might cause bad luck or tragedies.”

Informant’s Thoughts:

TC: “I don’t really think of this story as super scary; it’s more sad to me. Like, it’s about a little kid who was just really afraid of the dark, and that fear didn’t even go away after he died. I think that’s why people feel bad for him and leave toys, because it’s more about comforting him than being scared of him.”

TC: “But at the same time, it’s still kind of creepy that people say something bad could happen if you don’t bring him something. It’s like a mix of feeling bad for him and also not wanting to risk anything.”

Analysis:

This story reflects common themes found in Latin American folklore, particularly the idea that spirits remain connected to their emotions or fears even after death. In this case, Nachito’s fear of the dark continues beyond his lifetime, influencing the actions of the living, especially his mother, who tries to comfort him by keeping his coffin above ground and surrounded by light. The tradition of leaving toys at his grave also shows how communities physically interact with folklore. These offerings function both as a sign of care and as a way to avoid possible misfortune, which is a pattern seen in many ghost stories. Additionally, this legend blends tragedy with innocence. Nachito is not portrayed as a threatening or evil spirit, but rather as a frightened child. However, there is still an underlying sense of caution, since failing to acknowledge him could lead to bad luck. This balance between sympathy and fear is what makes the story both memorable and culturally meaningful.

Latin Legend

AGE: 20

Date of performance: 04/04/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student 

Primary Language: English 

Title- the Chupacabra

Context- The Chupacabra is a legend prominent in countries such as Mexico and Latin America.  A shares that his mom, who is from Mexico City, initially told him that they weren’t real, but started to tell him that they were real as he grew older and got into trouble to scare him. 

Analysis- The chupacabra is an animal feared for its blood-sucking abilities—a legend popular in Latin America and Mexico. Legends are a subgroup of the narrative genre in the folk world—they are stories that may or may not be true located throughout various regions. A felt the uncertainty of the chupacabra’s existence since his mom first believed they weren’t real, then started to tell him they existed when she needed him to behave. 

Camarón

Nationality: Mexico
Age: 70
Occupation: None
Residence: Los Angeles
Language: English and Spanish

“Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente”

My informant mentioned this proverb, “Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente” which in English means “Shrimp that falls asleep is carried by the current.” The informant told me that their mother would bring up this phrase when they missed out on opportunities. My informant is from Michoacán, Mexico, and learned it from their mother, but has also heard from other regions of Mexico. They now use that proverb and tell their kids and grandkids in order to teach them about how to make the most of their lives.

It is a phrase that warns of the dangers of passivity and inaction. It’s a way to teach a lesson that if you don’t take control of your life, you risk being swept away, just like a shrimp that is carried by the water.

La Llorona

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 55
Occupation: Chef
Residence: Los Angeles, CA

Text:

“As kids, we heard legends of La Llorona. Her story goes like this: La Llorona was a beautiful woman named Maria who lived in a small village in Mexico. She fell in love with a wealthy man and had two children with him. But after some time had passed, her husband left her for a much younger woman. Maria was so heartbroken and upset that she drowned her children in a river to get back to her ex. After realizing what she had done, she was so sad and overwhelmed with guilt, she cried along the river, ‘Ay, mis hijos!’ She then drowned herself. Now it says she wanders near rivers and lakes, searching for her children here. If you hear her crying at night, it’s a bad omen. My mom told me this story so that I could listen and be obedient and never cheat on any of my partners.”

Context: 

The informant grew up in Mexico. His mother told him this legend to be obedient and loyal and to also scare him from rivers and lakes so he wouldn’t wander and accidentally fall in. He lived along a river, and his mother was also afraid of him drowning in the river since many people in that town have died like that. 

Analysis: The legend is a moral ghost story where the supernatural and narratives blend and become a lesson for the living. In this version, La Llorona is a cautionary figure; it’s a sense of warning children to stay away from rivers but also a moral lesson about fidelity and the consequences of betrayal. It adds a layer of local specificity by my informant letting me know that “many people in that town have died like that,” which grounds the legend in real-life experiences.