Luminous brujas

Thu Jan 27 16:34:36 UTC 2000

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Maybe it takes us too far afield, but these accounts are strikingly similar
in some ways to ones that I got in the Maya Highlands (Chuj region).  Beings
called "Chiapas" live in the cerros, where they keep great stores of tequila
and food, which they can hurl from one mountaintop to another.  These beings
are spirit-extensions of individual humans and can mediate for them in the
living world.  They can be seen on clear nights as luminous dwarfs who slide
smoothly through the air just above the ground.  Under such circumstances,
it can be dangerous to encounter one, but they can also do good.  Not
everyone can see them, and they are almost never seen in the rainy season.

Ben Nelson

-----Original Message-----
From: David L. Frye [mailto:dfrye at umich.edu]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 8:57 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: Firefly Lore

Likewise in Mexquitic, SLP (one of the former Tlaxcalan settlements in the
north, where Nahuatl was spoken until 1850 or so). "Brujas" (there is no
nahuatl word used) are seen as lights dancing along the hills at night,
and are said to come into houses to suck people dry -- why else do old
people look so wrinkled, after all? But in the three years I lived in
Mexquitic I don't recall ever seeing a firefly -- too high & dry, I
suppose. The "naturalistic" explanation of the lights would probably be
lightning flashes.

> This meshes neatly with what J.L. McKeever Furst writes about of people in

> the same region, whose "major worry is the witch, or nahualli, a
terrifying
> and malevolent being whose activities are known in catastrophies,
misfortune
> and illnesses, whose lanterns dance along trails at night."
> Lights are also associated with "the tlahuepoches, or dangerous nocturnal
> birds that suck blood from adults (but prefer the blood of infants)
through lo
> ng beaks they use as suction tubes." .... "In Alta, these fearsome
> tlahuepoches either carry lights or emit a glow themselves."

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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Maybe it takes us too far afield, but these accounts =
are strikingly similar in some ways to ones that I got in the Maya =
Highlands (Chuj region).  Beings called "Chiapas" live =
in the cerros, where they keep great stores of tequila and food, which =
they can hurl from one mountaintop to another.  These beings are =
spirit-extensions of individual humans and can mediate for them in the =
living world.  They can be seen on clear nights as luminous dwarfs =
who slide smoothly through the air just above the ground.  Under =
such circumstances, it can be dangerous to encounter one, but they can =
also do good.  Not everyone can see them, and they are almost =
never seen in the rainy season.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Ben Nelson</FONT>
</P>

-----Original Message-----
 From: David L. Frye [<A =
HREF=3D"mailto:dfrye at umich.edu">mailto:dfrye at umich.edu</A>]
 Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 8:57 AM
 To: Multiple recipients of list
 Subject: Re: Firefly Lore

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Likewise in Mexquitic, SLP (one of the former =
Tlaxcalan settlements in the</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>north, where Nahuatl was spoken until 1850 or so). =
"Brujas" (there is no</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>nahuatl word used) are seen as lights dancing along =
the hills at night,</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>and are said to come into houses to suck people dry =
-- why else do old</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>people look so wrinkled, after all? But in the three =
years I lived in</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Mexquitic I don't recall ever seeing a firefly -- =
too high & dry, I</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>suppose. The "naturalistic" explanation of =
the lights would probably be</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>lightning flashes.</FONT>
</P>

> This meshes neatly with what J.L. McKeever Furst =
writes about of people in 
 > the same region, whose "major worry is the =
witch, or nahualli, a terrifying 
 > and malevolent being whose activities are known =
in catastrophies, misfortune 
 > and illnesses, whose lanterns dance along =
trails at night."
 > Lights are also associated with "the =
tlahuepoches, or dangerous nocturnal 
 > birds that suck blood from adults (but prefer =
the blood of infants) through lo
 > ng beaks they use as suction tubes." .... =
"In Alta, these fearsome 
 > tlahuepoches either carry lights or emit a glow =
themselves."

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