La Llorona - The Weeping Woman
She drowned her children in a river and now wanders eternally, weeping and searching. Her cry means death is near. Latin America's most enduring ghost—and a genuine cultural phenomenon.
La Llorona—The Weeping Woman—is one of the most famous ghosts in the Americas. For five centuries, from Mexico to Argentina, people have reported encountering a wailing woman in white who searches for her drowned children. Her cry, they say, means death is coming.
The Legend
According to documented folklore, the most common version tells of:
- A beautiful woman named María
- She married a wealthy man who later abandoned her
- In grief or rage, she drowned their children in a river
- Realizing what she had done, she drowned herself
- She was denied entry to heaven until she finds her children
- She now wanders waterways for eternity, weeping
The Cry
La Llorona is known for her distinctive cry:
- “¡Ay, mis hijos!” (“Oh, my children!”)
- A wailing, keening sound
- Heard near rivers, lakes, and streams
- Most common at night
- To hear it means death is near
Appearance
Witnesses describe:
- A woman in a white dress or burial gown
- Long, dark, flowing hair
- Sometimes beautiful, sometimes skeletal
- Floating or gliding rather than walking
- Weeping constantly
- Near bodies of water
Regional Variations
The legend varies across Latin America:
Mexico: The classic version, possibly dating to Aztec goddess Cihuacoatl Guatemala: She appears as a specific local woman who killed her children Venezuela: Known as La Sayona Chile: Called La Pucullén American Southwest: Brought by Spanish colonizers, now local legend
Pre-Columbian Origins
Some scholars trace La Llorona to Aztec mythology:
- Cihuacoatl, goddess who appears wailing for her lost children
- Interpreted as an omen of conquest and death
- Her cry warned of the coming Spanish destruction
- The legend merged with Spanish and Catholic elements
Modern Sightings
La Llorona continues to be reported:
- Along rivers throughout Mexico and the American Southwest
- Near canals in Los Angeles
- At various lakes and waterways
- Always at night, always weeping
Los Angeles: Multiple reports along the L.A. River Santa Fe, New Mexico: A famous haunting location Guadalajara, Mexico: Common sightings reported The Rio Grande: Numerous encounters over centuries
Social Function
La Llorona serves cultural purposes:
- Warning children to stay away from water
- Teaching consequences of terrible actions
- Processing cultural trauma (conquest, colonization)
- Explaining mysterious deaths near water
Is She Real?
The phenomenon raises questions:
- Why do independent witnesses report similar encounters?
- What explains the crying sounds heard at night?
- How has the legend persisted so consistently for 500 years?
- Are there multiple “Lloronas” or one spectral being?
Cultural Impact
La Llorona appears in:
- Films (numerous horror movies, including 2019’s “The Curse of La Llorona”)
- Literature (countless short stories and novels)
- Music (traditional and contemporary)
- Art and murals
- Children’s warnings (“La Llorona will get you if you don’t behave”)
The Experience
Those who claim to have encountered La Llorona describe:
- Overwhelming sadness
- Paralysis or inability to move
- The sound of weeping from nowhere
- A white figure near water
- The absolute conviction they’ve seen a ghost
Whether spirit, legend, or something between, La Llorona remains Latin America’s most powerful ghost story—and she continues to weep.