Do you have a duende in your house?

As I wandered into the room for my greeting java immoderate weeks ago, I had a feeling that thing wasn’t rather right. Then I saw it: a upland of income receipts, concern cards, market lists and different miscellaneous scraps of insubstantial piled up connected 1 of my 2 sofas.

The question came to my caput immediately. Did I person a duende? I had heard astir them implicit the years from Mexicans. Duendes lived successful their house, played pranks connected them oregon followed them home. They were unseen, but they were there. In Latin America, duendes are gnome-like mythological creatures seen arsenic the existent owners of a house. Mexican duendes are said to basal 2 to 3 feet tall, with pointed elf-like ears, piercing reddish eyes that glow successful the nighttime and nary thumbs.

Duendes are gnome-like creatures seen arsenic the existent owners of a house, particularly successful agrarian areas. (Tadeusz Zachwieja/Unsplash)

What are duendes like? Depends connected wherever you live

The fable of the duende has roots successful some Iberian and Indigenous American cultures. In Europe, the thought of a duende is related to Roman household gods similar the Lares and Di Penates, and the connection successful Spanish is said to beryllium a contraction of “dueño de la casa”: the proprietor of the house, which is what the tone truly is. Similar European household spirits see the Scottish brownie, German kobold and Slavic domovoy.

With the emergence of Christianity, duendes and their cousins came to beryllium seen arsenic sinister spirits. They are associated with the darker, supernatural broadside of life, sometimes representing decease and the unknown. Duendes tin beryllium mischievous and elusive; whether they are benevolent oregon malevolent seems to beryllium connected wherever you unrecorded and the beliefs of your community.

Across the ocean, the past peoples of the Americas developed their ain beliefs astir tiny supernatural beings. The Nahuas of cardinal Mexico knew of quality spirits called “ohuican chaneque,” oregon “dwellers successful unsafe places.” While bully chaneques lived adjacent quality populations and were harmless pranksters, atrocious chaneques lived successful forests and caves and could bargain children oregon origin travelers to suffer their way. 

For immoderate Maya peoples of the Yucatán Peninsula, creatures called aluxes are different small, humanoid quality tone that tin beryllium some adjuvant and a nuisance successful turn. A husbandman tin telephone upon an alux to instrumentality attraction of his milpa (cornfield) by gathering a miniature location for it connected his onshore and offering it portion of his harvest, arsenic good arsenic different ineffable foods. An alux not decently compensated for its assistance tin crook spiteful and harm a harvest. In February 2023, then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador made headlines erstwhile helium suggested that an alux had been spotted during operation of the Maya Train.

An “Alux,” a duende-like carnal of Maya mythology. (Zazil Tunich)

In immoderate parts of Mexico, duendes unrecorded successful a house’s walls. Young unkempt children are warned that duendes similar to cod agelong toenails and mightiness accidentally chopped disconnected an full toed erstwhile they travel retired astatine night. In Belize, duendes play tricks connected radical designed to pb them astray oregon origin confusion, getting them mislaid successful the woods. In different places they are benevolent, seen arsenic guardians coming to the assistance of children, and stranded hikers. However, if you are sidesplitting animals oregon up to mischief, duendes volition punish you.

Household duendes are typically benevolent. If they similar you, they whitethorn permission tiny gifts oregon execute adjuvant tasks astir the location portion you sleep. However, if you disrespect oregon choler them, they whitethorn fell your belongings, play pranks connected you oregon make a disturbance successful the house.

Duendes tin besides bring creativity. “Tener duende” means having soul, a heightened consciousness of expression, emotions and heart. For artists, a duende is simply a motion of inspiration owed to their magical powers. 

Learning to unrecorded with your household duende

Duendes are seldom seen owed to their agility and speed. They are astir often reported arsenic being seen during the Lenten Season and Good Friday. They tin beryllium recognized by a piercing whistle and their glowing reddish eyes. Sometimes they volition travel retired of the woods, sing and past fell if an inquisitive idiosyncratic looks for the root of the music. If you spot a duende you are advised to support yourself by hiding your thumbs truthful they deliberation you are 1 of them.

Are duendes existent oregon simply a portion of folklore? I asked a person who is simply a Mexican historian. “Duendes person been portion of Mexican folklore for arsenic agelong arsenic I tin remember,” helium told me, “but I’ve ne'er seen one.” 

Pictured: Probably not a duende. (Bui Hoang Long/Unsplash)

“Have you ever heard of them stealing?” I asked him. His reply was rather adamant: perfectly not. Duendes ne'er steal. They do, however, similar to play pranks. “I deliberation you had a quality duende successful your house,” helium said. “A thief.”

So it seems my duende was conscionable a thief who someway entered my location astatine nighttime portion I was sleeping, making disconnected with my cellphone, laptop, cash, recognition cards and nutrient from the pantry. Since duendes whitethorn play a prank oregon fell items from you, but don’t steal, it indispensable person been a thief. But since duendes are besides expected to support the house, I whitethorn person a bigger occupation connected my hands.

Sheryl Losser is a erstwhile nationalist relations executive, researcher, writer and editor. She has been penning professionally for 35 years. She moved to Mazatlán successful 2021 and works part-time doing freelance writing. She tin beryllium reached at [email protected] and at Mexico: a Rich Tapestry of History and Culture.