Colombia’s second largest city Medellin is preparing for the highlight of Christmas celebrations, the annual Myths and Legends parade.
During the parade, local myths and legends will be portrayed by actors while marching bands play porros and cumbias, folkloric Colombian music particularly popular in December.
Myths and Legends this year is not held on the evening of December 7 as usual, but on Saturday afternoon from 2PM to 5PM. The parade will be held downtown as normal and leave the Pablo Tobon Uribe theater at 2PM in order to arrive at the Museum of Antioquia at 5PM.
Highlights
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“PATASOLA”
A beautiful woman whose husband cut off her leg to punish her for infidelity, leaving her to roam one-legged for eternity, devouring helpless men unlucky enough to cross her path.
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“EL SOMBRERON”
A guitar-playing dwarf who sports a huge hat, who serenades women braiding their hair at night, trying to tempt them to follow him to become part of an army of lost souls.
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“LA LLORONA”
The tortured soul of a woman who murdered her child – large, bony hands dripping with blood still clutch the rock she used to do the deed. Her wails haunt young women who are keeping secrets from their parents.
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EL CURA SIN CABEZA
Most famous of all in Antioquia is “El Cura sin cabeza”, the headless priest who robs the mental faculties of all those who confess to him. According to Colombian legend, he’s the ghost of a man who was beheaded for witchcraft after revealing his Catholic faith to his village. The Medellin version is slightly more light-hearted — the priest was killed by his congregation for stealing Communion wafers.