Pre-Departure Orientation
In this
storybook, you will learn about some legends from Mexico ranging
from myths dating far back into history, like the story of "The Mulatta
of Cordoba," to modern-day urban legends, like
the chupacabra. Because of Mexico's mixture of European and
indigenous
cultures, the number of myths and legends is
enormous. Most folklore was, and still is, told orally so there
may be
several variations of one story. It is often debatable whether or
not folktales, myths, and legends are true. Some are and contain a lot
of historical significance while some are not. The stories I have
included haven't been proven to be true. The origin of these
stories is not always known, although some can be traced back all the
way
to the indigenous empires and colonial times.
The
stories I have included in my storybook
are from different parts of Mexico and different historical periods.
The person telling you these stories is a girl, Ellie, who is taking a
journey
throughout Mexico,
hearing these stories from different people in the different places she
stops in. She keeps a journal while traveling and writes down
what has happened that day, along with stories that different people
have told her.
The first story that Ellie writes about in her
diary is the story of
the chupacabra. Chupacabra translates to goat-sucker because of the way
it
kills its common prey. The urban myth of the chupacabra is common
throughout
Mexico, most of Latin America, and the southwestern part of the United
States. The chupacabra is described as an animal resembling a coyote or
mangy dog and hops like a kangaroo. Ellie hears about the chupacabra in
Monterrey, her first stop in Mexico.
The next story
Ellie includes is the legend of La
Llorona, or the weeping woman. This story is also popular throughout
Latin America. Ellie hears this story somewhere around
Mexico City. The ghost of La Llorona roams the streets of the city
mourning the deaths of her children after drowning them. Will Ellie
have an encounter with the ghost of the weeping woman?
The third
story Ellie tells is the story of why the
poinsettia turns red around Christmas. It's not a scary story like the
other two. Ellie hears this story in Mérida.
The final
story Ellie includes in her journal is called "The Mulatta of
Cordoba." Cordoba
is in Vera Cruz, Mexico so Ellie will hear this story in Cordoba. "The
Mulatta of Cordoba" is a story of mystery and magic with quite a
disappearing act.
Since you
have now completed pre-departure orientation, I think you are now ready
to travel along with Ellie throughout her journey in Mexico.
Today is my
first day in Mexico and I am already
exhausted. I arrived in Monterrey early this morning and have
been exploring the city all day. All the people I have encountered have
been really nice. I have learned so much about Monterrey and
Mexico in just one day. I'm sure tomorrow will bring much more
knowledge and stories. I guess I should tell everyone just whose
journal you are reading. My name is Ellie Smith. I'm a
twenty-year-old college student from Nevada, spending the summer
traveling
through Mexico. I'm so excited to be on this trip, to be able to
learn tons of new stuff while experiencing new things and people.
It should be the trip of a lifetime. Looking at my itinerary, I should
be in Monterrey for a week before moving on to Guadalajara. I
should probably get some rest so I can be energized tomorrow to go out
and explore the city and all it has to offer.
