Urban Legends

Here are some dominican legends you might be interested in:

The Bacá

The Bacá is a diabolical creature that people conjure up to get wealth and property. It is also called upon to protect land and property from being stolen. It is thought that when a person all of a sudden gets prosperous they have conjured up a bacà.

The baca can take the form of a black cat, a dog, bull or other animal. Once conjured this shape-shifting creature becomes very demanding. It wants great sacrifices on the part of the person who uses him. To get what you ask from this creature it is like making a pact with the devil himself. In return for your gains he might be nice and just take some of your lands, homes, businesses or livestock. If you are one of the unlucky ones you might have to pay the ultimate price by having you, your friends or your family suffering with diseases, illnesses, bad things happening or the ultimate price, dying mysterious or by committing suicide.

So before you decide you would give anything to become prosperous think long and hard before you call upon a baca. Do you really want to sell your soul to the devil for eternity just to have a short time of prosperity?

Bruja/ Witch
 
The legend of the Bruja in the Dominican Republic originates in Europe with a little African flavor thrown in for good measure. This legend conserves the echoes of the medieval beliefs as an older person dies they become a bird. Our witches are old deformed women, perverse and night dwellers. They do fly on brooms but they prefer changing into large birds. In this form they can fly closer to houses and yell with loud squawking sounds. It is said that the witch removes its skin before flying and keeps it in soaking in a tintature. When they take to flight they are said to say "Without God nor Santa Maria!". People say they have heard the Bruja during flight laughing and singing in a hideous voice.

When the witches rest they do so under the branches of the platano tree. The witches will suck the blood of the children either from the navel or the big toe. It is said that a Bruja will not attack the children of its own friends or if they are twins.

The only way one can catch a bruja is to knock her down. The "tumbadores" are said to be the only ones that are able to fall a witch because only they know the special orations and rituals. After a witch is caught one must wait for dawn. Only when the sun rises and the witches enchantment is broken can their true identity be discovered.
     
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