por The myths and legends of the Pacific region They are the product of the enormous ethnic and cultural crossover present in the area, and most of them arose decades ago, in times when there was no reasonable scientific explanation for certain physical manifestations of nature.
Today they are part of the folkloric heritage not only of the Pacific region but of all of Colombia.
In general, these legends refer to supernatural beings of a character maliciouswho deceive or take advantage of careless and innocent people, or simply seek to punish those who have committed some crime or wrongdoing.
Main myths and legends of the Pacific of Colombia
These stories usually survive thanks to the oral tradition and to a lesser extent to the written one. It is common for them to be told as horror stories to scare children and teach a moral.
1- Mother Water
This legend tells that on the banks of rivers and lakes lives a woman of incomparable beauty (a nymph), with blue eyes and black hair, capable of attracting children with her singing.
That child who heard her singing would fall hopelessly hypnotized and would enter the water looking for her until he drowned. The legend is possibly inspired by the ancient stories of sirens luring sailors to their end.
For this reason it is customary never to let children walk the riverbank alone. Grown men can also fall under her spell. If they got too close to the water, the nymph would catch them and take them to the bottom to devour them.
2- The Patasola
In the mountains and forests of the Pacific region, a woman who walks on one leg (hence her name comes) prowls, looking for peasants and innocent bystanders whom she seduces and then devours.
Sometimes it takes the form of a beautiful woman capable of making any man fall in love; however, she has her face covered.
If someone tries to kiss him, his form will change into fiery eyes and large fangs.
3- The Alligator Man
The myth of the alligator man arose from a man named Saúl Montenegro, who liked to spy on women while they bathed in the river. For this he used potions that turned him into an alligator.
Unfortunately, one day he scared one of his friends, who accidentally broke the potion bottle on his head, dooming him to stay forever as a man-headed alligator.
4- The Muelona
The muelona is an entity that torments drunken and womanizing men, attracting them thanks to its appearance, and then taking them to a secluded place and devouring them with its huge teeth.
Its name «muelona» refers to the huge teeth it has. Like other myths like La Llorona either The Silbonannounces its presence by making noise, in this case by grinding its teeth.
5- The Bracamonte
It is a supernatural creature that no human being has seen, devours anyone who crosses its path and emits terrifying bellows that terrify cattle.
The only way to protect yourself from a falchion is to stake it with a cow’s skull, as the creature fears the bones of its prey.
6- The Tunda
La Tunda is a woman with a monstrous appearance, sometimes being compared to a vampire. She lives in the forests and is dedicated to attracting people to keep them captive in her area.
To do this, he adopts the form of a loved one of his victim, which causes him to fall captive in the Tunda’s trap. Once held, he feeds people peeled shrimp, causing his hostages to remain in a trance and unable to flee. This sensation is what is known as entundamiento.
7- The Riviel
It is said that Riviel was a French traveler named Reivige, who came to Colombia in search of his wife, who had abandoned him for her lover.
The legend begins when Reivige, who was traveling by canoe on a river in the Pacific region, was surprised from behind, allegedly being stabbed by his wife’s lover.
Since then, in the rivers of the area, a character in the form of blue light appears while navigating in a mochita (small canoe). He is known by the Riviel, and is believed to be a lost soul who guides sailors to lure them to a fatal fate where they will lose their lives due to a current or eddy.