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Ghosts

La Ciguapa: The Woman with Backwards Feet

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An artist’s depiction of La Siguapa: The woman with backwards feet. Image: Artisticord

La Ciguapa is the story of a feral woman with long dark hair and backwards feet, known to prey upon unsuspecting farmers and adventurers who dare to venture into the woods alone.

The Legend of La Ciguapa

A video telling the tale of La Ciguapa

La Ciguapa is a legendary creature of Dominican folklore that has been passed down through generations and remains a popular bedtime tale for many children to this day. The legend is so deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric of the country that even in rural areas, it is often believed to be true.

One of the most terrifying versions of the La Ciguapa legend tells of a demon that dwells within deep caves and entices lonely men with her irresistible beauty and sensuality.

Once ensnared by her hypnotic gaze, the victim is led back to her dwelling where they are either devoured to the bone or trapped forever to satisfy her carnal desires.

Survivors of encounters with the Ciguapa have reported an eerie stillness in the surrounding area, as if all birds, insects, and land animals had been frightened away.

This is followed by soft whispers and howls that seem to flow with the gentle breeze, echoing through the canopies and drawing the listener in from all around.

Finally, the creature reveals itself: a fair maiden standing no taller than a meter, yet with a graceful harmony in all her muscles and limbs.

She has large, dark, and mesmerizing almond-shaped eyes, and hair as black as midnight, but with a luster that glows in the moonlight, thick and long, and draped on her body all the way down to her ankles.

She is given away as a monster by her feet. They are turned inward at the ankle and face the wrong way.

The backward-facing feet of the Ciguapas are not unique to Dominican folklore and have a long history in ghost stories from other parts of the world.

For instance, in Hindu mythology, Bhoots (male) and Churels (female) are ghosts that can assume human form but are only identifiable by their backwards-facing feet.

Similar tales can be found in many other cultures, where forest-dwelling creatures or ghostly entities are described with unusual physical features, such as rotating heads or other anomalies that serve to reveal their non-human nature. These tales of creatures with peculiar attributes are a common feature of folklore across the globe.

The Original Tale of La Ciguapa by Francisco Javier Angulo Guridi

In 1866, Francisco Javier Angulo Guridi, a playwright, author, and journalist, published a short story titled “La Ciguapa.” The story recounts a tragic tale involving the legendary creature, the Ciguapa. This is the first record of the legend in writing.

In this story, a man is traveling along the Palo Quemado road. The man encounters a farmer named Jacinto who warns him of a deadly creature that can kill without physical contact. Intrigued and unnerved by this warning, the man inquires further, prompting the farmer, to tell the story of the creature: the Ciguapa.

Jacinto, an orphan, had been traveling the land for some time until he met Andres, a man who owned farmland between a mountain and a river. Jacinto proposed that he would work for Andres in exchange for a place to stay, and Andres agreed. When Jacinto was introduced to Andres’ family, he quickly formed a connection with one of his daughters, Marcelina.

For the next three months, Jacinto and Marcelina were inseparable and spent every moment together. One day, while they were out walking in the woods, they sat down by their favorite tree to talk. It was then that the nervous Jacinto confessed his love for Marcelina, fearing that she might not feel the same way.

Marcelina, however, reassured him that she loved him too, and the young couple began discussing their future while sitting by the tree. As Jacinto spoke of their love, Marcelina suddenly felt a wave of fear washing over her, but Jacinto vowed to protect her from any harm.

The couple’s intimate moment was abruptly disrupted by a pair of high-pitched screams; one reverberating through the mountains and forests, and the other emanating from Marcelina who had just laid eyes on the creature responsible for the first scream. With a cry of “My God! La Ciguapa!” she collapsed in a faint.

Jacinto swiftly scooped her up and hurried her back to her father’s cabin. Over the following days, Marcelina’s condition fluctuated between deep sleep, delirium, uncontrollable weeping, and seizures. In a rare moment of clarity, she gazed up at Jacinto and uttered, “We were going to be happy…”

After three agonizing days, Jacinto buried Marcelina beneath their cherished tree. Recounting his story to the narrator, Jacinto describes the Ciguapa as a species that existed on the island long before it was discovered.

They are exceptionally beautiful, with “the golden skin of a true Indian, black and slanted eyes, soft, lustrous, and abundant hair…rolling down to the very calf.” Their beauty has a mesmerizing effect on anyone who sets eyes on them.

Have you ever seen La Ciguapa? Let us know in the comments.

If you enjoyed the story of La Ciguapa you might also be interested in the story of La Siguanaba: the lady with a horse face, or the mysterious Nasnas.

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Ghosts

Fleshgait: Predatory Mimic in the Woods

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A fleshgait is a creature that imitates the voices and appearances of people in the woods, with the intention of luring them away. People who have seen fleshgaits describe them as tall, thin, grey beings with long claws and no hair.

Description of a Fleshgait

Imagine a mysterious creature lurking in the depths of the woods, capable of mimicking human voices and appearances. Meet the fleshgait—a cunning trickster that entices unsuspecting wanderers. Witnesses who have encountered these eerie beings describe them as towering, slender figures, draped in a shroud of grey, with razor-sharp claws and an absence of hair.

Picture this: as you venture into the wilderness, unaware of the lurking danger, the fleshgait slinks in the shadows, perfecting its masquerade. With a supernatural ability to mimic the voices of both people and animals, it skillfully mimics the ones you hold dear, beckoning you deeper into its treacherous domain.

It is widely believed that fleshgaits are dangerous towards humans and often lure them deeper into the woods in order to harm or eat them. Some people also think that fleshgaits are connected to the Missing 411 disappearances, but there is no evidence to support this claim.

The powers of fleshgaits are not fully understood because nobody has witnessed their full capabilities. Based on reports, here are the commonly agreed-upon traits:

Voice Mimicking: Fleshgaits can imitate the voices of both humans and animals. They can only mimic voices and phrases they have heard before. Their calls can be captivating and difficult to resist, even when people know the voice is not from the person they are concerned about.

Super Speed: Fleshgaits are known for their unnaturally fast movement, often disappearing quickly into the woods.

Excessive Strength: Animals found torn apart in areas where fleshgaits are sighted suggest that these creatures possess tremendous strength.

While some reports suggest that fleshgaits can change their shape, not all reports mention this ability. Reports of shape-shifting fleshgaits occur frequently enough for many people to believe in their shape-shifting abilities.

Fleshgait Sightings

The Lore Lodge covers the the legend of the Fleshgait

Angeles National Forest, California – Alex Reynolds, Sarah Mitchell, and David Thompson, had a heart-stopping encounter with a fleshgait almost ten years ago. Despite the scary moment, these brave explorers managed to come out of it without any harm.

On a sunny afternoon, specifically on July 21st, 2013, the trio set off on an exciting adventure deep into the breathtaking Angeles National Forest. Towering trees and stunning views provided the backdrop for an experience they would never forget.

As they went further into the wilderness, a strange feeling of unease settled over them. It felt like the forest was holding its breath, and they sensed something they couldn’t see. Curiosity pushed them forward, unaware of the terrifying encounter they were about to face.

In the heart of the forest, they heard a voice calling their names from all directions. Confused, they looked at each other, trying to figure out where the calls were coming from.

With fear gripping them, the hikers cautiously followed the enchanting yet unsettling voices. Suddenly, in a sunny spot, they saw the fleshgait appear. It was tall and slender, with eerie eyes that seemed to shine from another world. Its appearance matched what others had described—a tall and thin creature with pale skin that stood out against the green forest.

Surprisingly, the fleshgait showed no signs of wanting to harm them. Instead, it seemed curious and watched them with an enigmatic gaze. The hikers watched in both awe and fear, their hearts racing with a mix of emotions.

After a few intense moments, the creature vanished into the forest, disappearing quickly as if it were never there. The hikers were left bewildered but relieved that nothing bad had happened. They hurried back to civilization, eager to share their extraordinary story.

How to Know A Fleshgait is Near

Here are some signs that suggest that a Fleshgait may be nearby:

You hear someone calling your name, but it’s not the person you know. For example, a woman heard her “mother” calling for help in the woods, even though she knew her real mother was far away. Despite the strange voice, she felt a strong urge to follow it. Later, she heard chattering noises and realized something was wrong. She barely escaped.

Your group feels like it has more people than before. People often sense an “extra person” around them before a fleshgait attack.

You see claws wrapped around a tree or a very thin figure that doesn’t look human. Many people witness them with their hands wrapped around trees or standing nearby. Some even describe them as resembling the character Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

There are reports of animals being killed in unusual ways or strange disappearances happening nearby. This makes sense because fleshgaits are predators.

The forest suddenly becomes quiet and eerily still. This often means there’s a predator nearby and creates a feeling of panic in the woods.

Your “friend” starts acting strangely and doesn’t sound like themselves.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s a good idea to trust your instincts and make a quick exit from the area.

How to Avoid a Fleshgait Attack

Fleshgaits are believed to be attracted to bright colors so it may be wise to wear more dull colors when adventuring in the woods.

Have you ever seen a Fleshgait? Tell us about it in the comments.

If you enjoyed learning about the Fleshgait you might be interested in similar creatures such as El Silbon or La Siguanaba.

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Ghosts

Bélmez Faces

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One of the Belmez Faces.

In 1971, strange stains in the shape of human faces started appearing on the kitchen floor of a house in Bélmez de La Moraleda, a little village in Andalusia, Spain.

The Story of the Bélmez Faces

Another Belmez Face

Back in August 1971, María Gómez Cámara noticed a weird stain forming on her kitchen floor. It soon transformed into a creepy face, and to her surprise, the stain seemed to move around.

María tried to remove it, but nothing worked. Her husband and son even tried destroying it with a pick-axe and re-cementing the floor, but it came back a week later, along with more faces.

News of the “house of faces” spread quickly, attracting many curious visitors who wanted to witness this mysterious phenomenon for themselves. Parapsychology experts arrived and considered it a great mystery. They even claimed to have recorded strange voices in the house.

A local urban legend began to spread claiming that skeletons were found buried under the floor during an investigation.

Eventually, a new floor was made, and people thought the faces were gone for good. However, just two weeks later, a different face started appearing, surprising everyone once again.

By Easter of 1972, a large number of people were visiting the house to witness the faces. The Pereira family continued to claim that new faces kept appearing for the next 30 years. These faces were of both men and women, and they varied in shapes, sizes, and expressions.

Investigations into the Belmez Faces

The main researchers involved in the Bélmez case were Hans Bender and Germán de Argumosa. They worked together in Bélmez and Freiburg in the early 1970s when the alleged phenomena began. Surprisingly, neither Bender nor de Argumosa published an official report on their findings.

Bender only mentioned the case briefly in his journal, Zeitschrift für Parapsychologie. He did make some references to the case in his lectures, particularly mentioning the sealing of certain areas of the floor where faces were forming, using transparent plastic material. He stated that slight changes in the faces’ appearance during this sealed period, as documented by a notary, supported their paranormal origin.

In 2014, a TV show called Cuarto Milenio, hosted by Iker Jiménez, conducted a technical analysis to investigate the possibility of a hoax related to the Bélmez faces. The research was carried out by José Javier Gracenea, a chemical engineering doctor and general manager of Medco, along with Luis Alamancos, a forensic criminalist who served as the chairman of Gabinete Pericial Inpeval and director of the Spanish Institute of Applied Criminalistics. Alamancos was later honored with the European Police Cross of Honor.

With the permission of the house owner, Gracenea collected samples from the faces and analyzed them. His conclusion was that the images “were not created with paint” and that there was no evidence of external manipulation or added elements based on scientific knowledge and analysis techniques.

Alamancos attempted to replicate similar images using various methods that had been considered valid in previous investigations, including concrete solvents, hydrochloric acid, and silver nitrate. However, he failed to reproduce the faces and concluded that he was utterly perplexed by the phenomenon.

Skepticism about the Belmez Faces

Super Horror Bro covers the Belmez Faces

According to skeptical investigator Joe Nickell, the Bélmez Faces were intentionally fabricated, and he believes that the faces had a very unprofessional and amateurish appearance in their design.

Similarly, Brian Dunning from Skeptoid has written that investigations revealed the faces were actually painted onto the concrete floor, initially using paint and later with acid. Dunning also suggests that the woman residing in the house was involved in perpetrating a hoax on the public, potentially for financial gain.

In a journal article published in July 1993, Luis Ruiz-Noguez discussed the presence of three pigments commonly used in paint manufacturing: zinc, lead, and chromium. Based on this, Ruiz-Noguez suggested that the use of paint should be considered when it comes to the Bélmez faces, particularly with the suspicion of lead being involved. Here are the reasons he provided:

Lead was commonly used as a pigment for primary colors for a long time.

The analysis showed that the amount of chromium present was too low to be a likely option.

Lead tends to create dark and hard-to-see colorations, unlike chromium.

The most common and inexpensive primary colors are enamels that contain lead, which are widely used in homes because they are easy to apply.

However, Ruiz-Noguez also mentioned some objections to the hypothesis of paint being used based on the ICV (inorganic chemical values) samples. These objections include the fact that alkydalic-type enamels are not resistant to abrasion, paint leaves a visible film that is easily distinguishable from the surface it is applied on, and alkydalic enamels have low chemical tolerance to acids, alkalis, and detergents.

What do you think caused the faces to appear in Belmez? Let us know in the comments.

If you enjoyed learning about the Belmez Faces you might also be interested in other ghostly faces such as the SS Watertown Ghost Faces or faces appearing in an airplane oven on Flight 401.

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