Cipitio
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Cipitio is a legendary character of Salvadoran (El Salvador, Central America) folklore. He is generally portrayed as a 10 year old boy with a big hat and a large belly. His name is taken from the Nawat word for child: "Cipit" or "Cipote". Some also relate his name to the deity Xipe Totec.[citation needed]
According to the legend, he is the son of a forbidden romance between an indigenous queen called Sihuehuet or Ziquet, now commonly known as La Sihuanaba, and lucero de la mañana. Cipitio is the child of this affair. When Ziguet's husband found out about this affair he sought the assistance of the very powerful god Teotl. Ziguet and Cipitio were cursed and condemned by Teotl. Cipitio is to live forever as a 10 year old boy with his feet in backwards position, as a reminder of the twisted and illicit affair of his parents. Stories are told of farmers that come to their fields and find the footsteps of a boy, but eventually get lost following them because, not knowing that Cipitio has his feet backwards, they follow them in the wrong direction.[1]
Cipitio is represented as liking to eat ashes,[2] throwing pebbles to beautiful ladies,[3] and likes to eat a variety of banana called "Guineo Majoncho". He could also "Teleport" anywhere he wants.
A couple of short stories with this character can be found in the book Cuentos de Cipote by the Salvadorian writer and poet Salvador Salarrué.
In a TV show for the Salvadoran Educational Television Station he is portrayed by Rolando Meléndez, who has played the role for several seasons. Each episode features the problems that Salvadorean children find in their communities, families and schools; El Cipitio helps them while teaching morals and values.
[edit] Notes
[edit] Bibliography
- Cordova, Carlos (2005). The Salvadoran American. Westport: Greenwood Press.
- Kampwirth, Karen and Victoria Gonzalez (2001). Radical Women in Latin America: Left and Right. State College: Penn State University Press.
- Kephart, Beth (2003). Still Love in Strange Places. New York: Norton.
