The 10 best known and most popular Venezuelan myths

A myth It is a story of a fabulous character, which is part of the tradition of a society, and which is transmitted by oral communication. In the past, myths were characterized by dealing with beings with the powers of gods or heroes, related to forces of nature and the human condition.

In this article We present you 10 Venezuelan myths of diverse themes. Many of them include life lessons or curious facts about this beautiful country.

• Recommended article: "10 Colombian legends full of folklore and popular culture"

Myths: what are they?

With the passage of time, it could be said that myths have been modernized and that they increasingly concern more urban areas and current societies.

So a definition of myth that today would be more in line with our times, would be that of that imaginary story of a surreal, which can modify the true qualities and characteristics of a person or thing, and give them more value than TRUE.

As these are stories that are transmitted from generation to generation, orally, they can change their form or content to a greater or lesser extent.

Do you want to know the 10 most famous Venezuelan myths? Let's see them below.

10 great Venezuelan myths

Venezuela is a country rich in myths and curious stories. Most of them originate from a tragic event, which ends with a social condemnation or sometimes, with a spiritual or divine intervention.

Some of these Venezuelan myths contain a warning message that warns whoever hears it to refrain from doing certain immoral or improper acts. Now yes, we bring you a summary of the 10 most outstanding Venezuelan myths.

1. the sayonna

The first of the Venezuelan myths that we are going to tell you is called "La sayona". This story is one of the most popular Venezuelan myths. It tells the story of a beautiful woman named Melisa, married to a kind and affectionate man, with whom she shares a 9-month-old baby.

Melisa is in the habit of bathing in the river and one day, she discovers a malicious individual who watches her frequently. So one day Melisa asks the man why he is watching her, who replies that what he wanted was to warn her that her husband is unfaithful with her own mother.

Melisa, seized with rage and despair, runs out to her house, and out of jealousy, she burns down the house with her husband and her baby inside it. Later he goes to his mother's house to demand explanations and she denies everything. Melisa, seized with her anger, kills her and before dying she tells him: "I never lied to you and you committed the worst sin, for which I condemn you, sayona."

The word Sayona refers to the white attire or clothing (saya) worn by the woman. The stories relate that she usually appears to womanizing men, in the form of a seductive woman. By seducing them, the woman changes her appearance to a hideous one with sharp teeth, and her victims either die in horror or flee.

2. john hilario

The story of Juan Hilario tells the story of a character who went to parties to woo women and drink. One night, Juan Hilario was heading to the nearby town when he met a friend who warned him about the danger of the night due to lightning and rain. Juan Hilario ignores it and leaves.

Along the way he begins to hear the famous whistle: "Compadre, go home, I'm going to the party, I'm not going to be scared."

And suddenly he begins to receive blows. To defend himself, he punches hard into the air, and exhausted he falls to the ground. Juan Hilario later described the ghostly individual who had hit him and his friend told him, leaving the phrase in the caption: "I told you Juan Hilario, those are not games...".

3. The Silbon

The next of the Venezuelan myths is “El silbón”. The wigeon is one of the most popular myths. It tells the story of a spoiled young man who insists on his father to hunt a deer (bovine animal), in order to eat its entrails.

So her father goes hunting, but taking too long, the young man goes looking for him. Upon finding him, and seeing that he had not hunted anything, the young man kills and disembowels him, taking his entrails home. He delivers them to her mother and she cooks them. After a few hours, she notices something strange and her son finally confesses to the murder. She curses him, sends her brother to whip him, and throws pepper on his wounds.

It is said that remembering and narrating her suffering frees the listener from her appearance. This spirit appears on the dark nights of May to individuals who go to parties with torn clothes and whistling musical notes which sound like a whistle.

4. The crazy caraballo light

It is said that a woman lost her two children, in the war of independence, who "went behind the man on horseback". She is maddened by loss and her soul wanders the wastelands in search of her lost children. Perhaps it is one of the saddest Venezuelan myths.

5. the soul alone

Story similar to the previous one, probably derived from it. It tells the story of a woman combatant in the war of independence who died in a battle. She is a wandering and lonely soul who terrifies those who have done wrong.

6. Maria Lionza

Another of the Venezuelan myths is "María Lionza". This myth narrates the legend of Yara, daughter of the chief of a tribe, who was born with aqua green eyes. The shaman of the tribe predicted that she should be sacrificed to the great anaconda or else she would bring the curse on the village. Her father hid her in a cave, guarded by guards, from which she could not get out.

She was forbidden to look at herself reflected in the water of the lake outside the cave. One night, a mysterious force put the guardians to sleep and the girl managed to escape. She approached the lake and saw her reflection, thus being delighted.

The water god Anaconda came out of her and fell in love with her. His father tried to separate them, but the Anaconda revealed herself and caused a great flood that wiped out the entire village. Since then, she Yara became the protector of the waters, nature and love and she received the name of María Lionza.

7. The priest's well

This myth is located in the Vargas state, specifically in a very deep tourist well. It is said that it owes its name to a priest from the area who used to bathe in its waters, in the company of women. One day, bathing alone, the priest was swallowed by the waters and his body was never found. Since then, her spirit appears on the surface asking for help.

8. The wagon of death

Another of the Venezuelan myths is "The cart of death". This myth tells of the appearance of a cart that travels without horses or a rider to guide it. She is stumbling around in the street with no specific direction and picking up a lot of human remains.

9. the crybaby

The Venezuelan myth of la llorona is about a young woman who used to cry out in despair: "My son, my son." It is said that this woman attacks everyone who meets her.

They say that the origin is that this woman killed her children every time they were born, that one day she confessed her sins to a priest and he told her that the next time she gave birth, before killing his son, she should give him suck. So this act made her feel great regret and since then she wanders around crying and desperately looking for her children.

10. the ball of fire

The last of the Venezuelan myths is this one that speaks of a ball of fire that moves around like a wheel. When looking at it, a figure reminiscent of a skeleton is seen. It is said that it is the fruit of the soul of a bishop who committed a serious sin and that if you pray, the ball approaches until it burns and, on the contrary, you must curse it to move away.

Bibliographic references:

• Eliade, M. (1991). Myth and reality. Editorial Labor, S.A. Spain.

• Mora, C. G. (2010). Founding myth and national heroes in Venezuelan elementary school textbooks. Politeia, 33(45): 33-57.

• Pollak-Eltz, A. (1985). María Lionza, Venezuelan myth and cult.