Barbara L. Gingerich Rivas

"La Sayona": Women, Legend, and Power in Venezuela Barbara L. Gingerich Rivas

In Venezuela there is a popular and widely spread legend about a malevolent spirit called La Sayona. She is a vengeful revenant who, in life, was betrayed by her husband. In retaliation she murdered her son and mother; and was cursed and doomed to wander forever, stalking drunks and other men who ventured out after dark in search of extramarital adventures. Legends are part of the folklore of a community and they reflect its beliefs, traditions, and ethics. The oral stories play an important part in forming the cultural traditions used as a form of social control. A child learns what behavior is appropriate in which situation by observation of the adults in its life. To become a normal active member of his society, the individual must adapt the norms and techniques of that group. The use of morality tales, such as the legend of La Sayona, are a form of control that allows young members to become active and integrated members of that community by emphasizing the dire results that occur when someone acts outside the norms of his society.