FANTASTIC PEOPLE FROM THE NORTHWESTERN COAST OF ECUADOR

FANTASTIC PEOPLE

FROM THE NORTHWESTERN COAST OF ECUADOR

Ezio ZAMBRANO LIMONGI B.S.

Department of Languages and Linguistics, Universidad de Guayaquil

ABSTRACT

There is no significant essay or book in English that discusses the folktale of Ecuador country, at best there are some glitch compilations or bare tales from the highlands only, without an anthropological or folklorist approach not even a suited literary one.

These unpublished stories are from the Northwestern Coastal side of Ecuador

The present-day folktale it is not inherent from one region or country as a rule, most of the local folktales arrived with the Spaniards and other Europeans that settled down on Ecuador since the conquest then the people started to adapt them to their surroundings and can be divided in two:

1. Before Columbus [ancient native myths]

2. After the conquest.

We are going to glimpse at the second group.

INTRODUCTION

These tales were compiled from peasant people to teachers from the provinces of Guayas, Manabí, and Esmeraldas.

They also remarked that they are firmly catholic believers, but they do also believe that sorcery, enchantments, spells and supernatural creatures exists.

As we used only the fieldwork from people who actually experienced this fantastic encounters some of the narrative will be in first person.

Oral tradition in Ecuador in something that is losing ground at quantum leap due in part to the dynamics of today’s communication ways: internet, social networks, etc.

Folktale narrative depict the process of gaining the power to control one’s life [1], so it is in most cases the purpose of this fantastic people.

[1] Jeanna Jorgensen: Essay on Folklore and Power [2012]

THE HOBGOBLIN OF LA TOLA TOWN

This story is very peculiar as far as I can discern these fantastic creatures from this region are very fond of women with full long hair [ if they are hairy the better ] and they are very neat as we will see:

This lady whom I interviewed was in her middle 30s and the encounter occurred to her some 15 years ago in La Tola town, some miles north of Esmeraldas city. She had a long beautiful jet black hair and she always washed it before went to sleep.

One night she could not unravel her hair and this she found very strange because there was some uncanny supernatural force that was preventing her to do it.

She could not help it, and if someone got near her to help disentangle her hair received as an electric shock that make everyone got away from her.

The only explanation was given by some brujo* who could see what was causing this trouble to her and her relatives.

It was el duende*: a mischievous imp that had a crush on her and did not want her to untangle her hair. She could not see it but she could feel its presence. No one could help her, so she went to Esmeraldas to see a witch woman, but could not make the hobgoblin spell disappear, there were up to six persons that tried to help her and could not make it. The sorcerers told her that el

She could not see it but she could feel its presence. No one could help her, so she went to Esmeraldas to see a witch woman, but could not make the hobgoblin spell disappear, there were up to six persons that tried to help her and could not make it. The sorcerers told her that el

No one could help her, so she went to Esmeraldas to see a witch woman, but could not make the hobgoblin spell disappear, there were up to six persons that tried to help her and could not make it. The sorcerers told her that el

The sorcerers told her that el duende was there and was angry because they want to touch her hair. The final solution was to cut at once her hair but after she has her hair drenched in meado añejo* so quick, that he could not stop the sorcerers cutting all her hair, this simple charm and the hobgoblin could not take it anymore, because I was told that they are so clean and neat and cannot resist filthy people and at last, she got freed of it.

Jan. 2016

• Duende: Hobgoblin, mischievous supernatural creature, sometimes dwelling in the house. Its features are feet looking backwards, occasionally wearing a big chapeau. •

• Brujo: A sorcerer,these people often have the gifted vision so they can see supernatural entities.

• Meado Añejo: Aged urine.