history according to the region, appearances and more
The legend of the weeping woman is a tale belonging to the folklore and urban mythology of Latin America, it consists of the story of a woman who lost her children, and who could never recover them, then when she died she became a ghost in the shape of a woman, who wanders along trails and roads scaring his victims, learn more about this figure by reading this article.
History of the legend of llorona
Historians have written various topics rega
rding the origin of this urban legend, the pre-Hispanic peoples spoke of ghostly beings that cried near the rivers, some say that sometimes they could observe a lady with clothing similar to that used in palaces, near the river, bellowing and shouting air. This narration can be seen in the writing of "Bernardino de Sahagún", a Spanish priest, who recounted stories of the original peoples of America.
In Mexico it is said that this legend was born, which is associated with the goddess Cihucoatl, who with the arrival of the Spanish conquerors, the figure with common features and referring to the characteristics of Hispanics is assumed.
Likewise, it is believed that its root comes from pre-Hispanic gods, such as Aucanime, Xonaxi Queculla, however in Peru it is closely related to the underworld, hunger, death and disease, through the goddess Xtabay, who was a goddess , the candona (jungle of Mexico), who seduced men.
This goddess behaved in a very particular way, attacked and pounced on her victims, hugging men above all, driving them crazy after she seduced them, later killed them, they say she was very attractive and that is why men approached her.
In all this variety of ancestral stories, the tradition of the Spaniards was added, who with their arrival took hold of the legend of the weeping woman.
Where are you from?
In some colonized towns, it was possible at night to witness how the Spanish soldiers and authorities decreed the curfew, when women began to hear cries and moans, starting at eleven o'clock at night. People say that you could not even look out of the corner of your eye, because it could cause death. Some more daring said that they had been able to see her and that she always wore a white dress.
For some time La Llorona was identified with a lady named Doña Marina "La Malinche", who was said to be Don Hernán Cortez's lover, and who appeared at night repentant, looking for her forbidden love. In some places, such as Venezuela, it is said that she is an indigenous woman, others state that she was mestizo or creole, who had an affair with a Spanish man, which was illegal for the society of that time.
The woman was pregnant with the Spanish and when she gave birth to her children she had to murder them, to avoid the contempt and punishment of the authorities and her people.
Unable to bear the pressure and pain of losing her children, she commits suicide and eventually begins to appear from the world of the dead to try to give life to her children, in the world of the living, crying and complaining wherever she goes. it passes, taking every man it gets in its path.
On the other hand, in Central America, its origin comes from the spiritual beings called Itso, they are geniuses with the shape of a woman and the body of a chicken that inhabit the caves in the mountains.
These beings begin to emit moans and screams when they sense that a child is going to die, or when a child is lost in the woods; In the Bribi language (Original from Panama and Costa Rica), the word Itso means Llorona, hence the legends of these countries are very similar.
However, in places like Colombia and Argentina, it is believed that it is a mixture and influence of the Mexican urban legend, mixed with aboriginal cultural elements of those regions, giving life to this Legend.
In Guatemala
Different versions have been heard in this country, one of them describes a very beautiful woman named Marisa, whose spirit lives in suffering, motivated by the fact that she murdered her children near the bank of a river; their appearances occur near the roads that lead to the rivers.
The bravest men cannot resist the temptation of this beautiful woman, who seduces them and subsequently begins to emit some screams that end up scaring them and even ending their lives. And they say the only way to save yourself is by wearing your underwear backwards.
This woman betrayed her husband, so that other relationship Oued or pregnant, and when the child was born, decided to throw it into the river, hence his appearances are repeated and is always dressed in white, wearing face covered by a hair long and black, and some people have even said that his face looks like a horse.
The second version of the Legend of the Weeping Woman, in Guatemala, has to do with a society woman, called Mrs. López de Figueroa, who was married to a very influential, serious and responsible man, the man had a great fortune, he indulged his wife in all her whims, such as clothes, parties and everything she desired.
In one of her escapades, the woman became pregnant and had a child who had to assassinate him, so as not to be discredited in her social environment, this led her to suicide, from that moment she appears in all the towns of Guatemala, paying her penalty for the murder of their children.
The third version of this legend tells of a very poor woman who lived in a small town, her husband barely earned some money to support them; after a while they had had four children and the husband had become seriously ill, she had run out of money to eat and feed her children.
One day he brought them together with the idea of taking them for a walk to the river, when they arrived he began to throw them one by one, looking for them to drown, however the children fought and did not die, so they returned to their mother.
Dismayed by the appearance of the children, she thought they were her ghosts, the woman was filled with fear, and decided to throw herself into the river. From that day on, the specter of women has been walking along the roads near the river, in a carriage, taking the city as its destination, in it she emits deafening screams, asking for help to locate her children, asking where they are, then she returns to the river , gets off the cart and throws himself again, where he disappears.
In Mexico
In this country, historians say that the legend was born in Mexico City, and was the basis for expanding to other Latin American countries. It has two versions, one tells the story of an indigenous woman who married a Spanish soldier and the other less known and oldest version, which describes the story of people who live near Lake Texcoco, where they listen at night. Laments of a woman who wanders the area, lamenting the death of her son and the loss of her own life.
Her name was Chocacihuatl, and she was one of the first women who died giving birth. It is said that her body floats in the shape of a skull with her son, searching and catching any traveler who dared to prowl at night; if any mortal observed these spirits, he was prone to suffer the excesses of this ghost.
All this legend was reflected in an article published in the text "General history of things in New Spain", by Fray San Bernardino de Sahagún, in which it is stated that the goddess Chocacihuatl accompanies all Mexicans during the pilgrimage, in search of from the city of Aztlán.
The spirit wandered among the lakes and temples of Anahuac, dressed in white and with long black hair, screaming and lamenting the death of her children.
After the colonial period, the people of Mexico said that they observed a woman dressed in white, walking the streets of Mexico City. From that date until today, it has continued to be said that the legend of La Llorona is real, and continues to appear at night in different parts of the city; people say they hear her wailing at night and in the early morning of the city.
In Honduras
It is one of the most famous stories within the legends of that country, there are several versions, however some are confused with another legend called "La sucia", but they are really different, for Hondurans, the legend of the weeping woman, presents a woman dressed in white, with a skull-like face and very long hair. Their objective, according to people, is to scare their victims, who are near rivers, streams and lonely trails.
Those who meet her go crazy, due to the screams and laughter, which then changes to a heartbroken cry, then begins to shout "Where are my children?".
It is believed that La Llorona was an ordinary woman who lived alone with her three children, since her husband, who was an alcoholic, beat her a lot and had subsequently abandoned them. One day the man appeared at the house without warning, and as no one came out to greet him, he was so upset that he began to throw everything he could get, so the terrified children had to hide.
The woman tried to defend her children and her house by confronting the man, who struck her unconscious, upon waking she observed that her children had disappeared along with the man, she began to look for them, but never succeeded. Many years passed and the woman died of sadness, from that moment it began to be said that the spirit of this woman wanders the roads, looking for her children.
Another version of the legend says it was a crybaby, very beautiful, single, young woman one day became pregnant and her youth decided not to have children, so tom it or the option of aborting; to the short time the woman began to hear every day the cry of a baby, both arrived or to listen, they went crazy and began to roam the streets looking for peace and shouting: Where is my son?
In Costa Rica
Also considered as one of the most famous urban legends of that country, the legend of the weeping woman is detailed in several versions, and it can be said that it is one of the most romantic in all of Latin America, since in each of its versions, it raises a beautiful romance that is enriched with time but culminates in death.
One of these stories tells of a beautiful young woman, who was the daughter of the leader of the Huetar indigenous ethnic group. She fell in love with one of the Spanish visitors, so they both had a loving relationship, so the Spanish went to the indigenous king to ask for the girl's hand, but the king refused, since the young woman was engaged. with another king belonging to another tribe
Contradicting her father, the young woman met the young Spaniard in secret, near a waterfall, which was always her meeting place.
In those encounters the young woman got pregnant, and when she gave birth they hid the baby, but they were discovered, so the king of the tribe challenged the young Spanish man to a duel. During the meeting, the young woman tried to stop the duel, but her father told her that he already knew of the boy's existence, so he had cursed him and threw him into the river.
The father also cursed his daughter, subjecting her for the rest of her life to wander the banks of rivers, in search of her son, followed by evil spirits who had the idea of reminding her of her misfortune.
The young woman went into the forest trying to avoid the curse, screaming heartrendingly. On the other hand, the king and the Spanish continued their duel and both fell dead; The young woman ended up wandering through eternity in search of her little one, fulfilling her father's curse.
In Chile
The versions of this legend in Chile are also very varied, it is compared with the legend of La Calchona and the widow of the Mexican legend. The story says that there was a woman who was very jealous, because her husband shared more time with the children than with her, so day by day she went mad more and became more frantic with the issue of jealousy, so she opted for taking their children and throwing them into the river to drown.
The husband, observing that he did not see the children, asked the woman about them and she told him what she had done, so the man decided to separate from her, this resulted in the woman dying of sadness and desolation From that moment the legend of La Llorona began.
Its origin dates back to pre-Hispanic times, where the aborigines say that there was a spirit that wandered grieving throughout the territory, had a connection with death, the way they say was of a woman who was cursed by her unhealthy jealousy.
However, there is another story about this legend, where a very beautiful woman lived alone with her son, she had a very humble house that later caught fire, with her son inside, the son was the product of a forbidden love, so apparently the child was going to live in hiding all his life.
After the fire, the child's body was not found, so the woman went crazy and had to be locked up in a hospital for the insane. There she died without being able to know where her son was, and since then rumors began to spread that the woman had left the hospital, crying and screaming, for the loss of her son.
Subsequently, it began to be said that a woman appeared on the loneliest paths, asking for the whereabouts of her children and asking for something to eat.
According to legend, this woman was buried in an unnamed grave, although some say she was cremated, but what is true is that the Legend of the Llorona in Chile always accompanies travelers in the southern towns of the country.
In Argentina
In Argentina the weeping woman is a blind, insane woman who killed her children by drowning them in a river, later committed suicide; It is said that she was a very tall woman, whose face covered her entire face and reached her feet, it is believed that she is a spirit in search of revenge and the person who manages to meet her must answer the question of Where are her Children? , indicating any direction to him, in order to save his life.
His appearance happens in an ethereal way, floating in the air, over rivers and other times on lonely roads, sometimes, when he does not agree with the direction indicated, he shows his horrible face to his victims. It is important to mention that each region of Argentina tells a different story regarding the weeping woman.
Its origin dates back to 1975, in the middle of the civil war, it is said that there was a woman who devoted intense care to her son, when one day a person stole the child, that loss caused him such great pain that he decided to hang himself. This event happened inside a cabin, in 1978, but the curious thing about the case is that the body was found a year later.
The woman's name was María del Carmen Monterriego, who would later become known as La Llorona. However, in the year 1990, it is when the paranormal story truly begins, after a citizen of the town of Villa María, observed a woman of approximately 33 years, who walked dressed in black, sobbing and crying very heartbroken, the man He decided to come closer and asked him how late it was in that area and why he was crying.
However, he did not receive any response, but a few words of regret "where will my son be, son I love you, come back, I love you, come back, I ask you", disappearing immediately, the man realizes that what he had seen was a spirit. Since then, sobs have been heard at night and it is said that he is capable of kidnapping children, with the idea of seeing if he can get his son.
In Venezuela
In this country there is also the Legend of La Llorona, it is considered a soul in pain, represented by a very young woman, who had an affair with a soldier, he abandoned her and as she did not know, nor had any idea of how to take care of the child , decided to assassinate him with his bare hands.
When the young woman realized what she had done, she chose to take her own life, people seeing what she had done, cursed her, she ran to the sheets, eventually becoming a horror.
They say that children who are alone are robbed, they cry especially in the Easter season. This legend is more deeply rooted in plains towns, such as Guárico, Barinas, Portuguesa and Apure. There are many folk songs related to this legend, several composers have dedicated folk musical works referring to the legend of La Llorona.
It is considered, along with Sayona, El Silbón and Florentino y el Diablo, as the most important within the Venezuelan mythological cult. Certain stories describe her as a woman who always dresses in white, her face can never be seen, and prowls through the meadows and rivers looking for her children, asking where they are. Some plains stories say that he takes revenge on unfaithful men, whom he not only scares, but is also capable of murdering them.
In colombia
It is part of the trilogy of the most famous legends of Colombia, along with La Tunda and La Patasola. The Legend of the Llorona is a tradition rooted within Colombian folklore, which describes a wandering spirit that roams the mountains, rivers and valleys.
She always wears a multicolored dress that reaches her heels, her hair, like the other versions from different countries, is very long black, she wears fireflies, butterflies and fireflies on it, which flutter and perch while she is walking.
Its face has the appearance of a skull, where in the part of the eyes it has two balls that rotate between them, an umbilical cord hangs from its nose, and in its mouth it carries a stem of a rose, which it bites with its large teeth. The origin of this legend dates back to colonial times, when people described a woman, who wandered through the villages, with a loaded baby and screaming in pain, due to the death of her precious son.
In some regions it is called "La Tarumana" or "La María Pardo", it is said that this version of the weeping woman does not allow anyone to approach her, so that she begins to scream scaring people, it is said that her appearances they are generally near cemeteries.
Another version of this legend tells about a woman covered in dirty rags, with the face of a corpse, but who in life was a very beautiful woman, with dazzling eyes, who attracted the attention of men.
There is also another version, which tells of another woman, who appears in the villages, hanging around the houses and looking out the windows, looking for her children killed by herself, the only way to get her away is to play chords on a guitar , smoke tobacco and pour brandy on the floor.
In many regions of Colombia this legend is referred to with very peculiar characteristics, the details vary depending on the clothing and the way to scare people, the rest, the physical characteristics are always the same.
In Ecuador
In this country there is also another interesting version of this legend, and like other Hispanic stories, the myth deals with a woman who suffered a lot from the abandonment of her husband, which caused her to drown her son in a river, and later repent and go looking for it. Since then, the spirit of the woman is in pain, and as revenge she cuts the little finger of anyone she gets in her way.
Its origin is also pre-Columbian, where the inhabitants say that a woman wandered the roads looking for the nearest river with the idea of saving her son who was drowning; whoever couldn't give him the right direction was prone to having his finger cut off.
Unlike other countries, in Ecuador, this legend is very similar in almost all regions, even the physical descriptions of the spirit are similar, always dressed in white, indecipherable facial features and never walking, but always floating.
Likewise, it is said that his revenge is against the men who cheat on their wives, annoying them on the roads and seducing them, and then hugging and killing them. This creature emits frightening, frightening moans, so much that the dogs go crazy, its appearances are always during the full moon, and its appearance brings bad omens, such as illnesses, and misfortunes to the families.
However, there are versions of some villagers, claiming that what the woman is looking for is help and comfort, she should only be given what she asks for, so some people give them their belongings and household items.
In Nicaragua
She is considered a ghostly figure that wanders at night scaring the dream of the peasant communities of Nicaragua, this woman manifests herself through a thunderous scream, and the places where she usually appears are in the Calvario de León neighborhood and its surroundings.
People say that a woman is frequently heard crying. Its origin comes from the times of the Colony, when the women who washed their clothes near the river, did it quickly to prevent nightfall, since when darkness fell, a woman would appear who took their clothes and threw them To the river For these women, the weeping woman was the spirit of a woman who was grieving, because she had thrown her children into the river.
In Nicaragua, several versions are also heard regarding the form and characteristics of the legend, for example; One of the best known versions is that the mysterious cry that is heard near the rivers, belongs to a deep sorrow of a mother, who lost her children while washing her clothes.
The story told by some people says that, in very ancient times, there was a woman who had a 13-year-old girl, who helped her mother to wash the clothes of the whole family, however there were men who were interested in the young woman, and in an oversight the young woman fell in love with one of them, who after having a secret affair, got her pregnant.the weeping woman.
Her mother always told her that the blood of slaves should not be mixed with that of whites, so when the young woman gave birth, she observed that the child was white, and remembering what her mother told her, she took him to the river and He drowned it, avoiding embarrassment and dishonor towards the family. When the young woman threw her baby into the river, she heard a voice saying: Ay! mother… oh mother!… oh mother!…, then she tried to save him, but the more she tried to get him out, the farther she went, when she could no longer, she left the river and began to cry for the terrible loss.
The girl, distraught and upset by the loss of the baby, went mad. So she went screaming, for a long time until people began to call her "La llorona", then she died, leaving her spirit wandering and in pain, where at night she can hear her sobbing in pain looking for her son, heading to the river, where then it disappears.
In Bolivia
In this country there are many people who do not believe in these myths, however, in the towns of Yacuiba and Salvador Mazza, the legend of the weeping woman is rooted as one of the most popular. It is said that in the early morning shouts and laments are heard from a woman asking for her son to be returned to her, some residents say they have seen her, they describe her as a woman who walks dressed in white, with hair that covers her face and reaches the floor.
Like other countries, in Bolivia there are also several versions of this legend, it is said that she was a woman with a good social position, who lived in one of the large houses in the central part of Yacuiba, the woman had problems with her partner and lost his sanity.
It was so much that at night she left her house and wandered the streets, frightening whoever crossed her path, it is believed that the woman was taken to a sanatorium for the mentally ill, because for a while, she was never heard from.
Other people report that near the border between Bolivia and Argentina, neighbors hear screams and lamentations during the night, it is believed that it is the Llorona that roams that area, in order to scare passers-by at night.
On the other hand, there is a version of this legend where the population of Cancañiri, claim to have seen the appearance of a ghost in the shape of a woman, who sows panic and terror among the inhabitants; It is believed that it was the spirit of a woman from the area, who died of sadness when her son, looking for a ball, died on the rails of a train.
The horror appears in the railway stations, screaming and asking for her son, many say that the woman was called Laura and lived alone with her child, worked in the mines in the area and helped clean the Cancañiri train station. This version of the weeping woman is credited with scaring children who are alone near the train station. Therefore, mothers do not leave their children alone near said station.
Indigenous Version
Legend has it that many years ago, during the time of the conquest, there was an indigenous woman who began to have romances with a Spanish soldier, they used to see each other secretly, since the union between these two types of people was prohibited, both for the tribes as well as for Spanish society. After a while, the relationship obtained the fruit of their love, at that time three beautiful children were born, whom the young Indian woman took great care of and showed him love.
The young soldier also worried about them, but he was worried about the idea that they were going to say if he formalized a relationship with the Indian woman, so he made the decision to leave the young woman and relate to a woman from the high colonial society. The separation destroyed the young woman's heart and when she found out that she had married another woman, she decided to take her children to the river, and thinking that the children would not grow up with their father's love, she threw them into the river and drowned them, then she threw herself into the depths of the river and also drowned.
From that moment it is said that a woman's cry of exclamation is heard near the rivers, for the pain and suffering of having lost the love of her soul, having killed her children and taking her own life for them. This story with this type of characteristics is heard in almost all Latin American countries, with some variations, however the background and the context is always the same, it is believed that it is the root of all the Legends of the weeping woman in the continent. American.
Spanish version
At the beginning of the seventeenth century, there existed in the city of Durango a very beautiful woman named Doña Susana de Leyva y Borja, who had dazzled all the men of the city, she was always courted by each one of them, waiting to be reciprocated by love. of this beautiful woman, however the young woman rejected all kinds of compliments and presents.
At that time, many handsome young men came from the capital, in search of progress and well-being for the city, among them a very gallant young man named Don Gilberto Hernández and Rubio de Martínez y Nevárez appeared, who one day, riding his noble colt, met with the beautiful young woman.
When the young knight observed the beauty of Susana, he got off his horse and spread his cape on the ground for her to step on (a gesture of chivalry used a lot in times of the Spanish Empire), the young man began to declaim beautiful poems to her, which They impressed the young lady, which led to the beginning of an affair, which would later be formalized with the legal courtship. The young woman's father rebuked her for considering that she should be related to noble people and not to any young man she found on the streets.
So the father prohibited and demanded that his daughter break the relationship immediately, the young woman was very much in love with Gilberto, so one night they decided to elope without saying anything to anyone. On the outskirts of the city the young man improvised a small camp in order to spend the night, (They say in Spain that today this place is called the Negrete and Navarro pass).
However, they decided to settle in that place and built their house and home, where they also had three beautiful children. The young woman asked her partner to legalize the marriage, but he never responded and only gave her gold coins.
One Sunday when the young Susana attended mass in the main temple, she heard at the end of the mass that the father was inviting all the people to the marriage of the young Don Gilberto (His partner), with Doña Marcela Jiménez, the young woman observed that his The husband was putting up posters for their marriage and immediately left the compound, looking for an answer to what he had seen.
The young woman rebuked Gustavo, and he told her to leave him alone, since he had found out that Susana was the daughter of an Indian, also her father had lied to her and he could not marry a woman who had a servant lineage. In revenge, the young Susana dressed very elegant, and went to the church where Gilberto's wedding was taking place, nobody recognized Susana, so the young woman approached just when the ceremony was at its best, and delivered an accurate dagger in the back of both grooms, who fell dead in front of the priest.
The young woman fled, and maddened she arrived home, took the three children, and before being arrested by the authorities, she ran into the forest fleeing and escaping from justice, when she reached a stream that today is called " The big channel ”, the woman slaughtered the three children, throwing them into the river, then she buried the dagger in her chest, also ending their lives.
The whole city was impressed by the event, and that same night the cries began to be heard saying: Aaaaayyy !, aaaaayyy !, miiiis sonoooos !, where are my children? Aaaaayyy! By then, the Legend of the weeping woman was born throughout the city of Durango.
Appearances in Puerto Rico
In this country the weeping woman is a legendary character, and like other Latin American cultures, she is a woman who loses her children and, turned into a soul in pain, desperately searches for them. There are few references to its origin, despite the fact that many residents, especially in the El Tendal sector, in Las Lajas, and explain that at night, a black silhouette appears covered with white clothing, which moves from one place to another. another, while hearing a thunderous shout that says: "Mom, Dad, Pablo."
They say that she is the weeping woman, a young woman who died in a car accident many time ago, whose spirit roams that area seeking to rest in peace. On the other hand, there are other versions that speak of "The lady of the curve" or "The girl of the dance", where it is said that the drivers spot a woman walking alone on a road, the driver believes that he has run over her, and when he stops, he sees that he finds no one on the road.
Another very similar version says that drivers observe that a woman invites them to stop and asks her to take him, when after a short period of time, the driver observes that the woman has disappeared from the back seat, then the same driver finds out by another person entering the car, the story of a woman who had tragically died in the place where the driver had mounted her.
The characteristics of the ghost are those of a woman dressed as a bride, her face cannot be seen, since her hair covers her entire face, it is also believed that this ghost belonged to a woman who was killed by her boyfriend when she was run over. They were heading for the honeymoon; It is also said that the apparitions are due to the lady trying to warn drivers about a dangerous curve or a very nearby broken bridge.
Also appears in Puebla
In the popular city of Puebla Mexico, a very particular story is told regarding the Legend of the weeping woman, it is considered one of the relevant ones among the many that exist in that country, where the content is similar to that of other stories. Latin American let's see:
There was a group of people near a campfire, when suddenly a very strong wind blew out the flame and everything was silent, the cold was intense, and as if it were a horror movie, a woman dressed in white appeared, came out Between the trees and everyone began to shout: "Be careful with La Llorona!" Suddenly the woman began to scream, and the people were frozen with fear.
Suddenly the woman lifted the veil that covered her face, and a pale face could be observed, her eyes were of a terrible look, and looking at one of the people she said: "Noooooo, I was not how they see me now, I was beautiful, not these spoils of a tormented woman, but it was her fault! The fault of that man. He cheated on me, he broke my heart! ”She then paused and continued telling the story, where she explained that she had killed her children by drowning them near a river in revenge for her husband's deception.
The figure finished telling the story and tears came out of his horrible eyes, one of the people asked him: why would a man cheat on such a beautiful woman? a thunderous shout saying "Aaaay, where will my children be", and a thick fog appearing, disappeared without leaving a trace. This is the way it is known in the population of Puebla, the story of a woman who lives grieving in all corners of the city.
The legend of la llorona for children
Being considered one of the most important legends in Latin America, many artists, writers, film directors, and even educators have decided to create versions of the Llorona Legend that can be digested by children and young people, many books with cartoons and Animated films have been created in order that the little ones can know the version of this international myth, the idea is to create in them the knowledge of cultural stories that are part of the lives of the citizens of each country.
In Mexico, short versions have been created detailing the story of a woman who lost her children on the banks of a river, some stories are based on stories during colonial times, however other more daring have described the stories updating them with the present time. The idea is to attract the attention of the boys, with varied and striking titles.
In the case of television, many producers have produced short shorts, where the story of La Llorona is described in a very pleasant way, with very colorful cartoons and beautiful figures, which attract the attention of children, in many countries, organizations that govern educational systems, have included the theme of the weeping woman in the texts used by children in their schools, especially levels ranging from first to sixth grade.
There, La Llorona is described as a legend that is part of the nation's popular culture, starting from the cultural point, where myths represent the folkloric heritage of any region, encouraging the stories of various legends with enjoyable readings, which help expand knowledge. of children and young people. The idea for many psychologists and specialists in the field, is that children begin to know the feeling of pain, love, and acceptance of death as part of life itself, in a simple way.
Many consider that I should not present this information to children, since their innocence could be violated, when observing the behavior of a woman who murders her children, it can cause some kind of disorder, which parents sometimes cannot handle. The topic lends itself to discussion and our intention is only to present knowledge and information about this legend.
At the cinema
Almost all the countries where the Legend of La Llorona exists, have created its version in films, either with the purpose of teaching, as well as entertaining the little ones, such is the case of Venezuela where more than five films of Children's court in educational and entertainment formats for children, always with the title "La llorona". On the other hand, during this year 2018, Warner brothers launched a high-level film production on the market, where it takes the elements of the legend of La Llorona Mexicana, to show the story of the most famous ghost woman in Latin America.
It will premiere in several countries in Europe and Latin America, and its plot is based on the legend of the weeping woman of Mexico, set in the 70s, the plot consists of the story of a social worker, who ignores her mother's warning , which has endangered the life of their son, when suddenly they are dragged by the anger of La Llorona, who harasses them and they try to survive, with the help of a mystical priest, who keeps the mysterious woman.
The character in Coco
The film Coco represented for Mexico, as the most emblematic film of recent years, where it was possible to reflect in a practical, fun and harmonious way, the characteristics of certain Mexican cultures rooted in its population, in the case of the legend of La Llorona , a song and interpretation of a musical theme was inserted, which you have composed for years and represented the icon of this film.
Many identify the song with the film, and the interpretive quality of the singers was interesting, so much so that it had the opportunity to be nominated for several international awards and even win awards for best song in terms of cinema.
The song as such, is part of popular Mexican folklore, it was born in the region of the Isthmus of Tehuntepec, Oxaca, there is no original version, the lyrics are taken by whoever is going to interpret it and later adds verses that configure an original concept, the melody has been maintained through the years. It is believed that along with La Adelita and La Cucaracha, they are the most famous Mexican songs of all time.
The musical theme appears in different Mexican films, where the performances have always been accompanied by the figure of the weeping woman with characteristics referring to the script of each film. In the case of the film Coco, the interpreter is the famous singer Marco Antonio Solís (Ernesto de la Cruz) and the singer Angélica Vale (Imelda Rivera), who interprets the theme in a concert, trying to escape from Ernesto, although in the end they end singing it together.
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Regarding the song, its lyrics do not have a defined author, in fact many artists try to adapt the lyrics, combining the Mexican tradition of the legend together with the folkloric situations of each region. In the rest of the Latin American countries where the legend is deeply rooted, we can find descriptions and interpretations of La Llorona depending on the geographical location and social environment.
Such is the case of Venezuela, where the legend is presented with differences in context and varied characteristics. When the Andean version is listened to and it is compared with the oriental or llanera version, differences are appreciated in the lyrics, melodies and environments, very different from the Mexican version, where in almost the whole country the main theme is always maintained, even composed themes that attempt to detail more specifically the motives of this ghost, to lash out at men.
On the other hand, only in Mexico has the weeping woman been considered a goddess, who was characterized by protecting pregnant women and the inhabitants of all Mexican regions, her name was Cihuacoalt. Tradition says that the goddess always returns to look for her son, but what they get are sacrificial knives, the Spaniards say that the natives told the story of this goddess, and they related that at night they listened to her laments and cried for her children (The Mexicas), they said that the suffering was because they thought they were going to be destroyed.
Little by little, through the ages, this beautiful legend has been erased from popular memory, only some remember its participation in Aztec mythological writings, in certain very traditional peoples or in the stories of old people who still live to be able to tell the story original.
