Los Indios De Las Aguas/ The Indians of the Waters
According to Dominican legends, these Indians are the fabulous beings who inhabit caves. They can be found in submerged caves of rivers and lakes or inside the mountain caves. It is said that these were groups of escaped Taino Indians who kept up with their old traditions and ways. In order to do this they had to stay hidden.
Interpretation of Los Indios De Las Aguas by Artist-Illustrator Ray Wu
These Indians are said to be very beautiful, especially the woman, because of her dark eyes, smooth black hair, and cinnamon colored skin. These beautiful women leave the waters on the nights of the full moon to detangle their long hair with gold combs.
Some say they do not bother people and are quite generous. They share their knowledge of natural medicines and possess old and powerful magic. Others say that they are dangerous and fear to bathe in deep waters and unknown areas. Some say the Indios de las Aguas leave their caves to look for the men who may wander near. These men are taken to their caverns never to be seen again.
The children are warned not to sneak off to the “Pools of the Indians” because these Indians may take them never to be seen again. The “Mano Negra” will reach up from the dark waters and drag them into the water never to be seen again.
Do you think this is a way for parents to keep their children home at night and away from dangerous waters or could it really be that there is a dark hand waiting to pull them down forever to be lost…
The mythical monster, El Cuco is used to frighten children. The stories of El Cuco are used in hopes of keeping the young ones off the streets late at night or to make them go to sleep.
Interpretation of El Cuco by Artist-Illustrator Ray Wu with a little political humor to lighten the mood of this faceless child snatching creature
El Cuco is a mythical monster whose origins can be traced to Spain.
The legend of El Cuco is used throughout Spain and Latin America as a tool to frighten children to keep them off the streets late at night and to make them go to sleep. It is very similar to the Boogy Man in USA.
There is no real description of this mythical being. It is as if El Cuco has no form or shape. It is just a being that is more felt than seen. It is said he is able to shape-shift into all sorts of creatures. He can be your favorite animal or a nondescript shadow moving across the floor. El Cuco can become a horrible monster or make himself so small that he can slip through a crack, hide under the bed or in the closet.
El Cuco in Dominican Republic
In Dominican Republic El Cuco roams the streets and alleys looking for kids to take away in his sack. He can take the form of a hobo or homeless man. Parents and grandparents alike tell the children if they do not go to sleep and fast that El Cuco will come and take them. Even worse, if they are out roaming the streets unsupervised, El Cuco will stuff them in his sack and take them away. He is known to eat some children too.
Be careful if you can’t sleep and you see a shadow with eyes glowing passing near your bed. Also, remember to never roam the empty streets alone. If you see a faceless man with a big sack it could be El Cuco….
*A few artists have used the name. Cuco Valoy, a Dominican salsa and merengue singer makes many references to El Cuco. Tonio Rosario has an album named “La Magia de El Cuco”. There is a trip music festival in Puerto Rico that uses the name of this nocturnal faceless creature.
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