La Llorona, or “the Weeping Woman,” is a 500-year-old ghost story from Mexico about a beautiful woman named Maria who marries a handsome, wealthy rancher. They have two children together, upon whom Maria’s husband dotes, but over the years he grows more and more distant from her…
Thanks to Carmiña for modeling, to Zaid Díaz for styling, and to Adrián Glez for hair and makeup.One day while walking along the river with her kids, Maria catches her husband with another woman.
In a fit of rage, she throws her children into the river, and they drown. She instantly regrets it.
She runs to the riverbank and reaches toward the water, trying to retrieve them. But it’s no use.
Racked with guilt and grief, she throws herself into the water and drowns along with them.
When she arrives at the gates of heaven, she is asked where her children are. Unable to come up with a satisfactory answer, she is banned from heaven and cursed to spend eternity wandering the earth, searching for her children, and constantly weeping (hence her name).
She is trapped between the mortal world and the spirit world, and cannot escape.
In some versions of the story, La Llorona kidnaps children who resemble the ones she drowned.
Some people say they hear her wailing near riverbeds late at night: “Oh, my children!” ♦
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21 Comments
María Fernanda, your photos are my absolute favorite ones on Rookie! I never miss them. ¡Buenísimas!
Creepy, but perfect.
This is so creepy and gorgeous. I grew up hearing versions of La Llorona stories so this is particularly familiar
Oh the stories I used to hear about La Llorona when I was younger…they used to really keep me up at night. This was great! I loved it!
you know some people argue that stories like “la llorona” and “la malinche” are used to help perpetuate guilt in women, some will argue la llorona helps perpetuate guilt of abortion and malinche helps perpetuate race betrayal for when women try to liberate themselves by forming coalitions with other women, it is very interesting.
Great series of photos even though this story gave me goosebumps! *shudders*
Ah, la llorona, that’s one of my favorite stories, really traditional here :)
Ooooooooooooh
I LOVE hearing ghost stories from cultures and countries other than my own!
xxx
Absolutely stunning photos! And I love how you based them on the story.
I grew up with a version of this story. I think it’s so cool that they vary from country to country and even region to region of Mexico (where my family’s from).
2 and 3 remind me of the in-town shots in the 1973 movie “Messiah of Evil”…the town was *abandoned* and the camera followed characters walking around *alone.* It’s VERY eerie.
This is so beautiful, maybe even my fave eye candy ever!!
I’ve always loved that story, well done Maria!!!!!
xxx
I love these pictures and also these kinds of ancient ghost stories <3
This is so great! La Llorona has always creeped me out while growing up (I’m mexican, too) but this set of pictures is simply creepy in a perfect way!
Terrifying in the best possible way!
wow these are great! I just read a version of this story but it was slightly differet, la llorona drowned her kids because she was annoyed at all their crying but she doesn’t regret it and then when she gets to hell her punishment is that she has to the search the banks of the river for them for all eternity
This is great – kind of like a picture book :)
i love this one. it reminds me of frida kahlo :)
Growing up in a village north of Albuquerque, La Llorona was our primary local boogeyman. The first time I heard the story, it was first or second grade and I was on the school bus. My walk home form the bus stop took me along the acequia (irrigation channel). I remember running SO FAST along the ditch so she wouldn’t catch me.
In retrospect, it’s a good story to tell kids if you want them to stay away from the acequia and not drown.