By Andrew McCarthy

Happy Halloween!

There is no better season of the year for scary Costa Rica legends such as the black dog Cadejo with two intense glowing and radiant red eyes. No less mysterious is the Carreta sin Bueyes, the cart that at night is pulled by invisible oxen. Don't forget La Llorona, who is always coming back to take more children.

The scary traditions of the witches who resided in the Escazú Canton in San José Province bring this brief series of Costa Rican folk tales to a finale.

The canton was created in 1848, according to a publication produced by the Municipality of Escazú. Today, it is one of the cities in San José with the biggest urban development. At the start of its history, the mountains and valleys of Escazú were occupied by indigenous people.

The canton's name, Escazú, is derived from the Huetares indigenous term "Itzkatzu," which means "rest" or "resting stone."

During the Spanish colony, Escazú was a meeting site for the indigenous peoples of Aserri and Pacaca. There was a rest station on the lengthy route that connected both communities, which the locals called Itzkatzu. The area became known as Escazú Valley throughout time.

But what role do witches play in this story? The first hint is the canton's insignia.

The shield was designed in 1940 by a young man named Victor Manuel Sandi-Trejos, who won a shield design competition at his school. This shield became the canton's insignia in 1974, more than 30 years later.

The shield's motto is "Escazú, Ciudad de las Brujas" (Escazú is the city of witches in English). The shield depicts a flying witch, a Catholic temple, three mountains representing the hills, a coffee branch and another of corn, as well as agricultural items from the region.

Because of the numerous traditions and myths told by its residents, the canton of Escazú is well known as the city of witches.

"Elvira: the Good Witch" is one of Escazú's most popular witches. The legend of the witch was immortalized by Costa Rican writer Carlos Salazar-Herrera in his tale "La Bruja" featured in his collection of stories in his 1947 book "Cuentos de Angustias y Paisajes," or tales about landscapes and sadness in English.

Elvira, the witch, is thought to have been an indigenous lady with powerful magical abilities. She is claimed to have resided in the canton from 1820 to 1890.

 

According to most of the traditions surrounding this witch, she was a gentle but highly strong woman. She was able to turn veggies into gold, as well as perform spells and harm others.

However, the most famous witch myth portrays her as a smart, gentle woman who is well-versed in spells and witchcraft. Very different from the stereotype of malevolent witches that most of us have encountered.

"There, in a white house with a blue door, in the company of five cats and the silence, there lives the witch Elvira," Salazar writes in his book.

She was a lovely young lady before she became a witch. She married a young guy from the same community when she was still a teenager.

One day, her husband (whose name has been withheld) left the house before daybreak to go to work and never returned.

In her desperation to find out where her husband was, Elvira visited all the witches and sorcerers in the area, where she studied all the magic spells and witchcraft.

According to folklore, when Elvira became a well-known witch in town, young ladies flocked to her for charms to make men fall in love with them.

The tale reads that a young humble local girl came to Elvira's house one day to inquire about a miraculous love potion. "The witch opened an old cedar wood chest, decorated with gold studs, where she had a talisman that would give happiness to whoever possessed it."

Before bestowing the magical amulet on the young lady, the witch asked her to take a bath and gave her soap and mystical herbs, combed her hair, and decorated it with a Guaria Morada orchid flower.

The witch invited the now-beautiful young woman to leave the house after bathing, combing, and dressing her. Before departing, the girl requested that the witch give her the magical talisman. "Which talisman?" "You are the talisman," said the witch.

Without the talisman but much more attractive after bathing, the young woman departs the witch's cottage with fresh hope of finding a husband.

Elvira, according to the author, was an elderly woman who was more of a smart healer than a wicked witch.

 

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Which good witch tale do you know? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com