Sihuanaba

Sihuanaba is a supernatural character from Central American folklore who appears as an attractive woman with long hair from behind. The demon can change her appearance and, after luring her victim (attracted by her sensuality) to a secluded spot, she turns around revealing the face of a horse or a skull.
Sihuanaba, the female demon with head of a horse and long white dress
Sihuanaba
Also known as Siguanaba, Cigua, or Cegua, her myth was imported by the Indians from the Spanish during the colonial period and successfully used by the latter to control the indigenous population through fear.
Siguanaba appears naked or dressed in white, bathing in rivers or other natural waters or washing her clothes, usually on dark, moonless nights. This succubus avoids showing her face and lures her victims into dark, enclosed places like canyons, from which they can no longer escape. Upon arriving there, the demon turns toward them, revealing her face. It is said that if the man does not die of fright, he will certainly go insane.
To lure her victims more quickly, Sihuanaba can take the appearance of the man's girlfriend, or in the case where the victim is a child, that of their mother. After she shows her true face—that of a horse or a terrifying skull—the child, losing their mind, will wander alone through the wilderness.
To defend themselves against Siguanaba, the inhabitants of Guatemala and El Salvador make the sign of the cross and simultaneously bite their machete.
The name of this succubus comes from cihuatl, which means woman and matlatl, net. The net-woman captures her victim in the net of her beauty.

The Legend of Sihuanaba in El Salvador

Sihuanaba, female demon with long hair and scary face
Sihuanaba
Once there was a very beautiful but poor woman named Sihuehuet. Using the charms of a witch as well as her own beauty, she enchanted the son of the Aztec king, Prince Yeisun, into marrying her. After the wedding, Yeisun went to war, and during this time, his wife cheated on him with several men, eventually becoming pregnant and giving birth to a child named Cipitio.
Even after the birth of the child, Sihuehuet did not abandon her wicked ways, continuing to sleep with other men and neglecting her child. To ensure she would be the heir to the throne, she planned to poison her husband by giving him an enchanted drink.
The spell did not work as intended; her husband transformed into a fierce two-headed monster who no longer recognized anyone and attacked those in the castle. To protect everyone, the guards were forced to end Yeisun's life.
Eventually, the prince's father, King Tlaloc, learned of his daughter-in-law's deeds and sought help from the Aztec god, Teotl. Teotl listened to the king's prayer and cursed his daughter-in-law, Sihuehuet, to appear enchanting at first sight but hideous thereafter. Thus Sihuanaba (hideous woman) appeared, who, seemingly attractive, lures her victims to isolated places and then reveals her true appearance. Along with her, her child, Cipitio, was also cursed to remain a child forever. Thus, Sihuanaba will have to look after this child forever.

Siguanaba, seductive succubus with face of a horse, under the moonlight, next to a tree
Sihuehuet
In Guatemala, Siguanaba is described as combing her hair with a gold comb and washing it with a gold bowl. She is said to appear to men in love or to those who cheat on their girlfriends or wives. To the former, she appears in the form of their beloved.

Other Mayan legends describe her as having extremely large and glowing eyes and hooves instead of hands. She wears shimmering clothes and has long hair, often haunting dirty slums, scaring children and drunken husbands.

In Costa Rica, in addition to the appearances above, Cegua can also appear with hordes of horses, running and spreading panic everywhere. She is usually a rural apparition.

1 comment

  1. Anonymous
    O iubesc