10 LEGENDS AND MYTHS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The legends and myths of Baja California Sur are some of the best known and most widespread in Mexico. This state is rich in history as well as contemporary cultural expressions.

This destination consolidates the future of the undoubted strength of its people, who are also faithful custodians of their traditions. Its pre-Hispanic history and its great indigenous and artistic heritage are a large part of the oral tradition of Baja California Sur.

Typical figures of Baja California Sur

Before 1974, this area was known as the southern territory of Baja California. It occupies the southern part of the Baja California peninsula, in addition to the Alijos Rocks in the Pacific Ocean.

Southern Baja California borders the state of Baja California, the Pacific Ocean, and the Gulf of California. This state is home to Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. Its largest capital city is La Paz.

List of legends and myths of Baja California Sur in Mexico

1- The whale shark

The sea has always aroused the curiosity of human beings and has led them to discover the secrets of the deepest. It is said that in Cabo San Lucas all fishermen know that the whale shark is a great shark, but it is harmless.

Despite being one of the largest fish in danger of extinction, fishermen say that it is possible to see it at sea when they are in their boats.

2- Toad fish (pejesapo)

The fishermen of the region are very afraid of the pejesapo; It is said that he hides under the boats and tries to turn them over.

Fishermen also claim that it is hidden and appears the color of sand or rock, so it is impossible to tell if it is there.

It is said that sometimes he approaches the bay of Playa del Amor, since he likes to be where people are to scare them. However, it is not aggressive.

3- The Mechudo

This is the name of a man with long hair, and also the name of a region north of the bay of La Paz.

This region is avoided by many superstitious residents of this area; it is quite difficult to find a boat that wants to go to this region.

Legend has it that the Mechudo was a man who looked for pearls to sell. The first pearl was supposed to be offered to the church, but this man found a pearl so large that he wanted to keep it for himself.

In the process, El Mechudo and all those who accompanied him are said to have died on the expedition.

It is for this reason that it is best to avoid this region as the Mechudo can be spotted with its hair floating in the water, giant wide eyes, and its arm grasping a giant oyster.

4- Lady in black

Locals say that a woman dressed in black can be seen coming out of the pantheon. The woman gets into a taxi and makes him go to church, after praying she asks to be taken to the same place where the taxi driver picked her up.

When the taxi driver leaves her, the woman disappears into the shadows as she enters the pantheon. It is said that anyone who has encountered this apparition, should be cleaned to avoid bad energies.

5- The non-graduate

This is said to have occurred in 1993. A woman was going to graduate in law with the best grade of her class, but on the day of her graduation her classmates looked for her worried about the whole university since she never arrived.

Apparently, the girl desperate to get there earlier on such an important day, got into a car accident while driving faster. The accident happened at the traffic light before reaching the institute and the girl died.

Supposedly, the girl can sometimes be seen in the hallways of the university as she tries to warn her classmates.

6- The curse of Cabo San Lucas

Legend has it that when San Lucas was not a populated place, a ship arrived asking for help with many people suffering from yellow fever. The people of the Cape denied them entry and assistance due to their illness.

For this reason, the ship's crew cast a curse on the inhabitants and their descendants, and on Cabo San Lucas itself, declaring that they would all die in a terrible way and that 'the Cape was going to disappear the day the sea came upon it.. '

7- The boy who shows his teeth

Legend has it that one day a shoemaker met a boy who asked him for a coin, when he gave it to him, the boy thanked him by showing a horrifying smile: skull teeth with full gums. The man ran scared and warned all the inhabitants.

A few days later, a policeman had an encounter with the boy and tried to beat him; the next day the policeman died.

Thus there were several incidents, so it is said that an encounter with this monster meant death for that person.

8- Hotel California

Founded in 1948, this establishment is located in Todos Santos. It is said that a woman lives here who offers drinks to tempt the men who stay there.

Legend has it that this woman is the devil who offers a temptation so that people cannot get out of there. Therefore, the California hotel would be hell.

9- Hill of the skulls

This story has to do with when the Spanish arrived in Baja California Sur. A Spaniard and the daughter of a local tribal chief fell in love, but she was already engaged to another man.

It is said that one day, the two men fought for their love on the top of the hill and in the discussion the two died when they fell into the void. The woman, unhappy because the two men she loved had died, decided to commit suicide by jumping into the sea like them.

It is said that the sea formed three skulls: the largest skull is the woman and the other two are the lover and the fiancé.

10- Long stone

In La Paz, there is a place called Rancho de Agua de los López, near where Piedra Larga is located.

They say that this stone was sacred to the Guaycuras indigenous people who used to gather here to be guided by the sorcerer or to worship the Guamongo God.

Nowadays, it is advisable to avoid this place since you can see some rare figures or you can even spot the god Guamongo himself.

Themes of interest

The streets of colonial cities and their legends.

Legends of Guatemala.

Legends of Mexico.

Mayan legends.

Argentine legends.

Colombian legends.

Legends of Jalisco.

Legends of Guanajuato.

Durango legends.

Chihuahua legends.

Legends of Campeche.

Chiapas legends.

Legends of Aguascalientes.

Legends of Veracruz.

References

1. South Californian myths, tales and legends: legend of the long stone (2017). Recovered from sudcalifornios.com
2. Myths and legends of Baja California Sur: the whale shark and the pejesapo (2010). Recovered from adameleyendas.wordpress.com
3. The curse of Cabo San Lucas. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
4. The legend of Mechudo. Recovered from math.ucr.edu
5. Baja California Sur. Recovered from wikipedia.org
6. Myths of Baja California Sur. Recovered from mitoscortos.org.mx
7. Hotel California. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
8. Baja California Sur. Recovered from asiesmimexico.mx
9. Legends of Baja California Sur. Recovered from leyendascortas.com.mx
10. The boy who shows his teeth. Recovered from paratodomexico.com.