THE 10 MOST POPULAR LEGENDS AND MYTHS OF VERACRUZ - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The legends and myths of the state of Veracruz in Mexico are generally related to Mexican historical events. Thanks to its topography, it has been possible to create a large number of stories that enrich its cultural traditions.

The myths and legends of this state are generally a combination of indigenous oral traditions mixed with the great influence that the Spanish conquest had in the region.

Veracruz is considered the central point in the history of Mexico; the birth of the Mexican mestizo nation. This region has a great coastline where you can find beaches, lagoons and rivers. In Veracruz you can also find forests, plains, and mountains that have inspired a large number of legends.

Veracruz witnessed the birth and growth of the mother of all Mesoamerican cultures: the Olmecs, whose roots can be traced hundreds of years BC.

The traces of this culture, together with the Huastecos and Totonacas, and the Nahuatl influence can be observed in their great cultural background.

List of myths and legends of the state of Veracruz in Mexico

1- Legend of the mulatto of Córdoba

It is based on an event that occurred in the 16th century when the Holy Inquisition accused a mulatto woman of witchcraft. The file of this case can be found in the General archive of the nation.

The story goes that a beautiful woman lived in Córdoba, called La Mulata who never grew old. It was thought that this woman had a pact with the devil or that she was a witch so she was accused of witchcraft.

On the day of her execution, the jailer entered her cell to look for her. But the woman had drawn a ship on the wall of the cell.

To the jailer's surprise, the woman jumped onto the boat and it disappeared into the corners of the cell. The woman was never seen.

2- The mermaid of Tamiahua

The story goes that a woman named Irene went out to look for firewood during Holy Week. Then he went to wash his face in a river. Both acts were prohibited so the girl asked the gods for forgiveness.

It is said that the woman had a mermaid tail, her skin turned red and her hair was dyed red. The witnesses went out to chase her with boats, but they could not reach her.

The girl was singing towards a boat that appeared in the sea and was never heard from again. Legend has it that if a person listens to this siren, they will have an accident.

3- The crying boy

This story is located in the Ojo de Agua lagoon, in Orizaba. It is said that a worker who passed by and heard the cry of a child, after looking for him found him sitting at the foot of the lagoon.

The boy told him that he was lost and asked for the favor of carrying him to the church in Potrerillo. The man accepted and the boy told him not to look at him until he passed the first church they found.

As they approached the church, the man began to hear strange noises and looked at the boy; instead of the child there was a monster who laughed hideously. The man released the boy and entered the church scared.

It is said that when that monster managed to enter a church, the Ojo de Agua lagoon would overflow and flood Orizaba, causing death and destruction.

4- The weeping woman

This is Xico's version. Supposedly the weeping woman leaves from 12:00 to 1:00 in the morning in the rivers. La llorona was a woman who heard crying because it was believed that she had lost her children.

5- The jewel of gold coins and the mermaid

In Orizaba there lived a very rich man with a large house. Since he had so much money, he decided to bury a pot full of coins in a water hole.

The man placed the bronze statue of a mermaid next to the pot to watch over it. However, the years passed and the man died without having told anyone about the treasure.

For this reason, every June 24 at 12:00 at night the mermaid turns into flesh and blood and swims through the water hole. At dawn, she becomes a statue again to take care of the pot of coins that has not been discovered.

6- The Sambomono

Juanito, a lonely boy, lived in Tres Zapotes with his father. One day, other children discovered that Juanito had grown hair all over his body and a tail; they began to mock him and call him 'Juanito el bear'.

Juanito, angry, told his father that he wanted to leave so that no one would bother him ever again.

Therefore, Juanito decided to go live in the mountains, declaring that he would kill anyone who came near. He gave his dad a sea snail and told him to ring it when he went to visit him so Juanito would know it was him.

Screams soon began to be heard in the mountains; people began to disappear. People believed it to be an animal and called it Sambomono.

The father, embarrassed, never said it was his son but warned people that if they had to go through the bush, they should touch a snail.

7- Nahuani and Ahuilizapan

On the San Andrés hill, a warrior named Nahuani lived, who was accompanied by her best friend: an eagle named Ahuilizapan.

When Nahuani died, Ahuilizapan flew up into the sky to plummet. Where his body fell, a volcano was formed: the peak of Orizaba.

8- Legend La Niña del Ángel

In 1908, a two-year-old girl died. Her parents asked for a marble monument to be made in imitation of their daughter. The sculptor made the structure together with a guardian angel.

Legend has it that the angel moves to protect the girl; more than 100 years have passed and the monument is still in perfect condition.

It is said that sometimes the angel in the 'Juan de la Luz Enríquez' pantheon can be seen stealing flowers from other graves to place on the girl.

9- The black dog

In Alvarado there was a man who molested women, robbed and caused destruction in the town. The townspeople tried to lynch him but they never found him.

At the time, a black dog appeared and in the market bit the hand of a lady. Then the black dog began to wreak havoc throughout the town and everyone hated him.

One day a man started beating the dog until he couldn't move. When the dog was lying down, it got up on two legs and took off its fur.

Under that skin was the man who had caused all the trouble. The man ran and was never seen in town again.

10- Dance of the negritos

An African slave woman lived in Papantla with her son. One day, her son was bitten by a snake and to save him, she performed an African ceremony applied in those cases; she sang, danced and screamed around the young man.

Some Totonac Indians observed the performance and as they liked the movements, they decided to imitate it and adapt it to their own culture. This is how the dance of the negritos was born.

References

1. Legend of the weeping woman, Veracruz (2010). Recovered from mitosyleyendasmexico.blogspot.com.
2. The jewel of gold coins and the mermaid. Recovered from mitos-mexicanos.com.
3. The mulatto from Córdoba. Recovered from paratodomexico.com.
4. The black dog. Recovered from mitos-mexicanos.com.
5. Mexican myths and legends- Veracruz. Recovered from mitos-mexicanos.com.
6. Legend of the angel girl. Recovered from paratodomexico.com.
7. Myths of Veracruz. Recovered from mitoscortos.com.mx.
8. The legend of the dance of the negritos. Recovered from mitos-mexicanos.com.
9. Veracruz (2007). Recovered from holayadios.wordpress.com.

Nahuani and Ahuilizapan. Recovered from mitos-mexicanos.com.