Superstition in Colombia

For today’s blog post I will be exploring superstition and ritual in Colombian culture. Presently, our class is analyzing the novella “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” by the legendary Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. The novella is set in a small Colombian town called Sucre. In this town, superstition and ritual hold a meaningful role in the life of its inhabitants. The cultural diversity of African slaves, Spanish conquerors, Arabic immigrants, and indigenous tribe makes Colombia home to a vibrant culture of myths, legends, and superstition. Let’s look at some examples of these superstitions. 

Among the most common superstitions in Colombia is “the curse of the black butterfly”. This superstition states that if a large butterfly that is either black or brown enters one’s home, then a family member will soon pass away. In Colombia this butterfly is called the “Mariposa Negra”; however, the scientific name for the butterfly is “Ascalapha Odorata”. Although it is relatively harmless, its substantial size of up to 17cm is a frightening sight.


Next, let’s have a look at some Colombian mythology. After reading several Colombian myths and legends, I came across a myth that I found particularly interesting. The first was “the story of El Sombrerón”: a peaceful villager who was short, dressed in black, wore a large hat and maintained a stern expression. However, after his death, he became a mythical being. Although the legends vary quite significantly, as tall-tales do, a general synopsis of his story would sound something like this: On the night of a full moon, a beautiful girl with long hair and hazel eyes gazed upon the stars from her balcony. El Sombrerón walks by and notices her beauty and attempts to court her by playing her a song on his guitar, but while he was singing the girl’s parents forced her to come back inside the house. From that day forth, El Sombrerón would come to play her songs, preventing her from sleeping. Furthermore, whenever she tried to eat her food was always contaminated with dirt. Consequently, her parents, who were gravely concerned, cut her hair and brought it to a priest, who poured holy water on it and prayed for her to be cleansed. She was to never see El Sombrerón again. However, it is said that on moonlit nights he roams the streets causing mischief.

After reading these superstitions, I hope that those of you who have read “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” can determine why I decided to choose these superstitions. The first superstition, “the curse of the black butterfly”, is a bad omen. Although it is not the same as the omen in the novella, the inspiration for the omens in the book is clearly a result of Colombian culture. The story of El Sombrerón stood out to me in many ways when comparing it with “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”. The overarching message of El Sombrerón was for teenage girls to preserve the values of society. This message was a focal point in Márquez’s novella that explored the rationality of society and culture. Upon further thought, I realize the comparison of these two stories could be examined in another blog post. Thank you for reading.