Sihuanaba

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Sihuanaba, sometimes referred to as La Siguanaba, is a legendary character of Salvadoran folklore.

The legend of Sihuanaba says that the woman, originally called Sihuehuet ("beautiful woman"), was a peasant girl that ascended to queen using her charms (and a witch's brew) to lure into marriage to Tlaloc's son, Yeisun, who was a nahuatl prince. After marriage, when his husband went to war, she had affairs with other men, and Cipito was the child of this relationship. Sihuehuet was a bad mother, neglecting her son, leaving him alone to meet her lovers. To inherit the throne she concocted a plot: Use another witch potion to poison Yeisun during a festival, and so, claim the throne for her lover. But the plan worked too well. Yeisun was converted in a savage giant monster with two heads, who ravaged the attendants to the palace's feast. The guard struggled and defeated the creature, ending Yeisun's life. When Tlaloc found out about this, he sought the help of the almighty god, Teotl whom condemned and cursed Sihuehuet: She would be called Sihuanaba ("hideous woman"); she would be beautiful at first sight, but she would turn into a horrible abomination after luring her victims to isolated gorges. She was forced to wander the countryside, appearing to men who travelled alone at night. She is supposed to be seen at night in the rivers of El Salvador, washing clothes and always looking for her son, Cipitio, who was also cursed by Teotl to remain a boy for eternity.

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[edit] Appearance

The Siguanaba appear in two ways: When encountered, she is a beatiful woman naked (or dressed in flimsy white) that usually appears doing her laundry in the river, or near lonely paths. She likes to lure single men and men looking for nocturnal adventures, without letting them see her face at first. Then, she shows her real self: An horrible crone with long lice-ridden hair, black taloned hands, greenish o grayish wrinkled skin, an elongated jaw with yellowish tusk, and big waist-long hanging breast (that she uses to smash on rocks to produce an unnerving sound). After that, the victims is temporarily addle-minded ("jugado") and she looses him in the gorges. The victims recover, but the ordeal leaves them some sequels: Wracking fevers, scratches in the armas, and hair filled with big black lice.

[edit] The Legend

There is a story that happened in the suburb of Ojo de Agua. Near the path of Pila Seca a man was walking when he noticed that in the San Francisco Tank there was a woman with long, black, beautiful hair and white dress that was taking a bath. The man said: "Hey, pretty, wouldn't you like me to bathe you?" At that moment, the woman stop bathing and without showing her face started calling him.

Flattered, the lover followed her. They walked for many blocks, always trying to reach her but without success, and when he noticed they had reached the cemetery. Inside, the woman approached him and taking him aside she turned around. At that moment he saw her face looked like the face of a horse. She hurled over him trying to grab him so that she could bury his body in the gorges.

After fighting for a few minutes, he remembered he was wearing a small medal on his neck. He put it in his mouth, bite it and prayed. When she saw it she threw herself to the gorge. At that moment he understood that this woman was the Siguanaba.

He ran back to his house really scared. The next day he noticed his face and arms were scratched. His family tried to heal his wounds, but they never healed.

[edit] Sihuanaba in other media

  • Sihuanaba (in his monster form) is a popular clay figurine used in the traditional "Nacimiento" (nativity scene), that depicts the birth of Jesus, and the Holy Familiy, a Christmas custom in Latin America.


Other spellings are: Cihuanaba, Sihuanaba, Ciguanaba.

[edit] See also

Folklore Portal