Rain god Chaac ar the Mayan Sculpture Museum, Honduran Folklore has been shaped in part by the influence of other pre-Columbian myths
Honduras has rich folk traditions that derive from the fusion of four different cultural groups: indigenous, European, African and Creole. Each department or region, municipality, village and even hamlet contributes its own traditions including costumes, music, beliefs, stories, and all the elements that derive from and are transformed by peoples in a population. In sum, these define Honduran Folklore as expressed by crafts, tales, legends, music and dances.[1]
Folktales and legends
Honduran version of La Siguanabana.
Numerous characters form part of the folklore and popular beliefs of Honduras. Some are designed to terrorize listeners, while others try to convince listeners to behave well or they may suffer an unhappy outcome described in a story. The exact details of a story often differs between villages or regions, or according to the style of a story teller. Some characters of legend that stand out are:[2]
La Lluvia de Peces de Yoro (Yoro's Fish Rain)
The Yoro Fish Rain is an extraordinary meteorological phenomenon. As of 2024, there is no cemented scientific proof of why this phenomenon occurs. According to the inhabitants of Yoro, this phenomenon has been occurring in this area for more than a century. Witnesses of this phenomenon point out that it begins with a darkening of the sky caused by dense clouds, followed by lightning and thunder, strong winds, and rain - lasting 2 to 3 hours (typical behavior of tropical storms). Once the rain has stopped, the villagers find hundreds of fish scattered on the ground, still alive. The villagers collect them and transport them to their homes to cook and eat them later. The fish are freshwater, they are always found alive, they do not lack eyes, they are not huge but small and, according to the villagers, they are not the type of fish found in nearby areas. Since 1998, a festival known as the Rain of Fish Festival has been held every year.
The fantastic tale of an vengeful crowd taking a shoeshine man from the Church of Mercy (Iglesia de La Merced), where he had taken refuge in the ancient city Gracias a Dios (now Gracias, Lempira). A punishment was meted to the populace after they beheaded him for profaning the sanctuary of the church (vox populi graciana).
The popular story of a beautiful young woman denied marriage at the altar because she was unbaptized. She then wandered out of mind, never removing her increasingly filthy wedding dress until she died of heartbreak after her suitor married another. The story follows that she appears in beautiful form to lure men roaming drunk by rivers and streams, so enraptured by her beauty they follow her until she changes into a filthy horror that drives men crazy.
La Carreta Fantasma (The Cart Ghost)
The story of a ne'er-do-well who was found stabbed to death in his cart, which was then abandoned in a nearby lot. Villagers would then hear but not see the cart at night until one man determined to see it was found stricken to die shortly after.[7]
The story of a woman who drowned her children and then drowns herself. For her sin she is doomed to wander crying for her children.
El Gritón (The Screamer)
A class of stories that describe encounters with either a headless creature or lost souls that scream at night.
El Timbó
A disturbing creature that prowls around cemeteries and feeds on corpses. He walks on two legs, has a bulging belly and reddish fur, with extremely long arms and huge claws that serve to root out graves.
A creature with a dog's body and a pig's face that feeds on the blood of other animals.
El Cíclope de la selva Misquita (The Cyclops of the Miskito Jungle)
A belief among indigenous natives of the Misquito jungle in a being that resembles the cyclops with one eye. The people in the region have many different stories about this creature.
La Taconuda
A tall woman with long hair that reaches to her calf who leaves a strong scent of perfume when she passes. She grabs men and drives them crazy, leaving them numb and naked by the road.
La leyenda del indio que se convertía en tigre
Stories of a demonic tiger in that converted to and from an Indian to a tiger (The Legend of the Indian who Converted to a Tiger, Rancho Grande).[8][9]
The music of the indigenous groups is derived from cultural traditions of the pre-Hispanic civilizations of Central America. Indigenous groups still in Honduras include the Lenca, Miskitu, Tawahka, Pech, Maya Chortis, and Xicaques.[10] Indigenous traditions have been well documented. Some of the pre-Hispanic musical instruments include Mud Frogs Whistles (type of whistle made from clay or mud in the shape of a frog), conch shells, tortoise shells, and maracas. The maracas are two hollowed-out shells, which contain natural seeds, called "tears of Saint Peter." Other traditional Honduran instruments used with indigenous dance include the marimba, caramba, and accordion, along with drums.
Al rumor de las selvas Hondureñas (To the rumour of the Honduran jungles) by Carlos Maria Varela[15]
Typical clothing
Traditional Honduran Creole clothing.
There is a variety of Honduran traditional or folkloric clothes and costumes, mostly named for the region from which they originated. Traditional clothing and music are often labeled by one of four broad categories:
Indigenous (originating from native traditions dating back before the colonial conquest)
Creole (resulting from the mix of European and indigenous traditions)
Within these categories, costumes are categorized by specific region (department, city or municipality, village, or hamlet) and ethnic group from which they originate.[a] The following is a list of some of the traditional costumes:[18][16]
Forastines costume (San Andrés, department of Ocotepeque)
Veijos costume (San Andrés, department of Ocotepeque)
Tolupan costume (Montaña de la Flor, department of Francisco Morazán)
Dance in Honduras
Honduran traditional dance.
Honduran folklore is very varied and interesting by the cultural elements that result in the four major ethnic groups (indigenous, creole or mestizos, Spaniards, and Garífuna). As each province has its own traditions, music and beliefs, so it was for dance.[24][25][d]
Indigenous dances
The indigenous dances are influenced primarily by the pre-Columbian culture. The following are indigenous dances that have been authenticated by the National Office of Folklore:
Dance
Researcher
Region
Sample
El Acordeoncito
David Flores Erika Cecilia Cuellar Luis Gustavo Castellán
Aldea Pavana, municipality Choluteca, department Choluteca
Caseríos de Copal Arriba y Copal Abajo, Choluteca, Choluteca
*
Creole dances
The creole (or mestizo) dances result from the mix of indigenous and Europeans in the new world. The following are creole dances that have been authenticated by the National Office of Folklore:
Dance
Researcher
Region
Sample
Arranca Terrones
Carlos Gómez Rubén Ruíz
Municipio de Trinidad, departamento de Santa Bárbar
Henry Leonel Andean (Researcher and collector of dances like El corridito, El corrido de Don Juan, "The Polka of Apakunka" and "The dance of the Junquillo", Director of the Group Yaxall of Honduras)
Professor Diógenes Orlando Álvarez Rodas (Choreographer and Investigator) Dances like Los Lirios (The Lilies), El Danzón and La campesina (The Peasant Woman), among others
Rafael Manzanares Aguilar — Honduran folklorist, author and musical composer; founder and first director of the National Office of Folklore of Honduras (Oficina del Folklore Nacional de Honduras); founder and first director and choreographer of the Cuadro de Danzas Folklóricas de Honduras.
Rafael Rubio
Sebastián Martínez Rivera (writer on Honduran folklore)[31]
Tania Pinto de Moran (Folcloróloga National)
Wilberto Allan Bonilla Rios[32] — Collected dances such as: La pulgita (The Little Flea), Arranca terrones de Nueva Esperanza (Pull up the clods of Nuevo Esperanza), and Peineta (Comb), among others
David Adolfo Flores Valladares — Folklorist and innovator in Honduran folk dance
Johann Seren Castillo — Director of Ballet Folklórico de Honduras Oro Lenca[33]
^Traditional costumes are researched and documented by folklorists working in the field and authenticated by the National Office of Folklore. There are currently around 140 different costumes registered with the National Office of Folklore (Oficina del Folclore Nacional), and additional customs are added as they are researched and authenticated.[17] The National Office of Folklore is part of the Ministry of Public Education.
^Guancasco, a Lenca term, refers to a tradition of holding a celebration that unites two groups of people. The Honduran group Café Guanasco made reference to this tradition with their name, and performed in front of the presidential palace in protest of the 2009 coup that removed President Zelaya from office[19]
^Garífuna costume called veluria" the woman's Garifuna costume is called the gongnu costume of warini (the Christmas herald) costume wanarahgua (mascaro), indigenous costume, shepherd's costume, tiras dance costume (game and dance of the Muslims and Christians).
^ Traditional dances are researched and documented by folklorists working in the field and authenticated by the National Office of Folklore. There are currently around 106 different dances registered with the National Office of Folklore (Oficina del Folclore Nacional), and additional dances are added as they are researched and authenticated.[17] The National Office of Folklore is part of the Ministry of Public Education.
References
^Gold, Janet N. (2009). Culture and Customs of Honduras. Culture and Customs of Latin America and the Caribbean. Westport Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN978-0313341793.
^Jorge Montenegro[in Spanish] (Aug 5, 2016). El Duende [The Goblin] (Radio broadcast) (audio) (in Spanish). Honduras: National Radio of Honduras (HRN). Retrieved 2017-08-30. YouTube title:El Duende - Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras
^Jorge Montenegro[in Spanish] (Aug 5, 2016). La Sucia [The Filthy One] (Radio broadcast) (audio) (in Spanish). Honduras: National Radio of Honduras (HRN). Retrieved 2017-08-30. YouTube title:La Sucia - Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras
^Jorge Montenegro[in Spanish] (Aug 5, 2016). La Carreta Fantasma [The Ghost Cart] (Radio broadcast) (audio) (in Spanish). Honduras: National Radio of Honduras (HRN). Retrieved 2017-08-30. YouTube title:La Carreta BRUJA - Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras
^Jorge Montenegro[in Spanish] (Feb 5, 2012). La leyenda del indio que se convertía en tigre [The legend of the indian who converted to a tiger] (Radio broadcast) (audio) (in Spanish). Honduras: National Radio of Honduras (HRN). Retrieved 2017-08-30. YouTube title:Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras - El Tigre de Rancho Grande 1
^Jorge Montenegro[in Spanish] (Feb 5, 2012). La leyenda del indio que se convertía en tigre [The legend of the indian who converted to a tiger] (Radio broadcast) (in Spanish). Honduras: National Radio of Honduras (HRN). Retrieved 2017-08-30. Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras - El Tigre de Rancho Grande 2
^Flores, David (2003). Evolución Histórica de la Danza Folclórica de Honduras [Historical Evolution of Honduran Folk Dance] (in Spanish). Tegucigalpa, Honduras, C.A.: Producciones y Ediciones Zots. pp. 18–19. ISBN99926-40-08-1.
^"Folk Dances of Honduras". orolenca.org. Ballet Folklórico de Honduras Oro Lenca. August 20, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
^Gustavo Rivera. "La Campesina". Nuestras Danzas, Nuestra Culture (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
^"Un Bailarín que marcó el Compás a Honduras" [A Dancer Who Marked the Compass to Honduras]. El Libertador (in Spanish). Tegucigalpa, Honduras, CA. Medios de comunicación Alternativos y Conexos S.D.R.L. August 8, 2016. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
Scruggs, T.M. (1998) [1998]. "Honduras". In Sheehy, Daniel E.; Olsen, Dale A. (eds.). Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. Vol. 2: South America, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. New York: Routledge. pp. 1289–1303. ISBN0824049470.
