La Llorona

What this episode covers

The legend of La Llorona has been passed down throughout countless generations. The tale usually goes like this: a woman shrouded in white murdered her children and is now cursed to haunt rivers and pueblos, crying for them. But, what are La Llorona’s origins? What if she wasn’t a murderer, but instead a victim? Or a goddess in Aztec mythology? Let’s discuss the intricate history of the weeping woman and the possible meaning behind her legend. She may just surprise you. For pictures and more information, please follow us on Instagram & Threads @thespectralpod and check out our resources below. If you want to send us a story or recommendation, email us: [email protected]. Please rate and review on your favorite listening platform. The ghosts and I will be eternally grateful. We hope you keep listening! P.S. Did you know we always have bloopers after the outro music? Look at that, we provided an answer to a question you didn't even know you had. Alexis says, "You're welcome." P.P.S. Mary Berry is alive and well--being a straight "G." Resources Beck, Elias. “Aztec Omens.” History Crunch, 15 Aug. 2018, https://www.historycrunch.com/aztec-omens.html#/. Fuller, Amy. “The Wailing Woman.” History Today, 31 Oct. 2017, https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies/wailing-woman. Grande, Reyna. “Abused, Addicted, Biracial and Queer: Jaquira Diaz Is Anything but ‘Ordinary’.” The New York Times, 29 Oct. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/books/review/ordinary-girls-jaquira-diaz.html. “Lamia: Greek Mythology.” Britannica, 26 Sept. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lamia-Greek-mythology. “La Llorona.” Don Quijote, Accessed 29 Oct. 2023, https://www.donquijote.org/mexican-culture/history/la-llorona/. “The Legend of La Llorona.” Origin Mexico, 1 Nov. 2022, https://originmexico.com/blogs/news/the-legend-of-la-llorona. Valerio, Fatima. “The origin of La Llorona, La Malinche, and La Virgin de Guadalupe.” Nuestra Verdad, 14 Oct. 2020, https://www.nuestraverdad.com/post/the-origin-of-la-llorona-la-malinche-and-la-virgin-de-guadalupe. “What the Textbooks Have To Say About the Conquest of Mexico: Some Suggestions for Questions to Ask of the Evidence.” American Historical Association, Accessed 30 Oct. 2023, https://www.historians.org/teaching-and-learning/teaching-resources-for-historians/teaching-and-learning-in-the-digital-age/the-history-of-the-americas/the-conquest-of-mexico/for-students/what-the-textbooks-have-to-say-about-the-conquest-of-mexico Winick, Stephen. “La Llorona: An Introduction to the Weeping Woman.” Library of Congress Blogs, 13 Oct. 2021, https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2021/10/la-llorona-an-introduction-to-the-weeping-woman/ Winick, Stephen. “Picante Pero Sabroso: Songs of La Llorona.” Library of Congress Blogs, 22 Oct. 2021, https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2021/10/picante-pero-sabroso-songs-of-la-llorona/.

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