First, I’d like to clarify that I don’t want to ask for more than one premium set for México, I’m aware that there are countries with need of stamps, whether they are local or premium. I already suggested the Lotería stamp as a premium stamp set to replace the dishes one that many Mexicans asked to be removed for various reasons. This is another suggestion for my country because I think we should have options, there’s the Lotería one and the cuisine one that other user suggested. I believe we should be mindful about the fact that for now we shouldn’t ask for more than one set, even if is premium, I think many other countries want one, so let’s be kind with the Slowly team. That being said, please vote for the one you like best as a premium stamp set for México, I’ll let the other two options below so you can check them out:

For this proposal, I’d like to recommend a premium stamp set that’s based in Mexican legends, I feel like is a way to start conversations for those who love stories, also, I want to add a little more variety to the premium local stamps, so maybe others who doesn’t have a set of stamps will like to vary their request other than food, idioms, and such (which I love, but c’mon, the majority of our countries have so much more). I’ll post my favorite ones, but there’s many so feel free to suggest your own; however, please do check that is Mexican because, since we share many legends with other LATAM countries, sometimes we are under the impression that they originated in our country, like the Chupacabras (which is from Puerto Rico).

#1

==From Mexican mythology, but let’s respect Hispanoamérica==

Of course, this one is a most, but to include La Llorona we need to talk about many things involving her legend, because I feel a complain coming. First of all, La Llorona is iconic for Hispanic America as a whole (let’s be real, the US media has abused this spirit for years when talking about us, hence why is so known), all the Latin American countries have their version of this legend; nonetheless, the trace of the legend in the mythology is from México, so it originates in our country. I ask from my people to be respectful to others version of this legend, and as well I ask other countries to recognize the origin without erasing your version, since la Llorona now days is used as a name to call certain types of what we believe are spirits in our respective countries, even México has many versions of it and I haven’t met someone who isn’t even from Xochimilco (where we believe is the origin) that hasn’t said they have heard her at night. This legend can be compared to the Chupacabras, which also each of our countries have a version of it and tend to say we saw it. Let’s say we all have it (both), but let’s also respect where it is said to be recorded first, at least in the modern world and the little that we keep from before the invasion.

==The different versions==

As I said, everyone in LATAM has its version, and México is no exception. Let’s start with the : For indigenous people there was a very particular spirit that used to cry near the rivers, the easiest comparison are the yokais from Japan, who are well known, so you could say La Llorona is a type of spirit for some, not just the particular woman we all envision.

Other precolonial legends include the fact that she is indeed a particular spirit, a woman who killed their children (or the children just die in some versions) and then committed suicide, this is similar to the modern one, but with less details. It also may be a story created to dissuade children to do something dangerous.

For the Mayas the spirit was a divinity: Xtabay, someone who represent death, sin, lust, and hunger; beautiful to the core to seduce men and then kill them. The Zapotecans have a similar version to the Mayas, but with some difference in appearances.

Then there’s my favorite one from precolonial background: many think it was Cihuacóatl, a divinity for the Mexicas and the one who protected women that died giving birth. Some legends say she was one of the warnings for the Mexicas that something terrible was going to happen (the Spanish invasion), that she was crying for her children, but being her children the Mexicas themselves. She would appear at night near the river crying too.

The legends are a mix of Spanish culture and Indigenous culture, mainly to prevent the indigenous or mixed people to refer to her as someone from other religion that isn’t Catholicism. The appearance of someone in white clothing, long hair and her characteristic yelling remains, even if the latter is translated now to “¡Ay, mis hijos!”

There are many versions to mention them all, so I highly recommend looking her up, is a most interesting legend, the Spanish wiki actually talks a little about many of them and is very well done. I’m afraid the English one is not as good, actually, it has misgivings, or at least doesn’t mention the complexity of the legend; even so, I didn’t find a better source for it, so I beg you to search for specifics if interested in some version in particular.

#2

This one is a legend for and from lovers, when México was still held by Spain as a colony. The narrowest Callejon del Beso gives rise to a Romeo and Julliette type of legend about two lovers, Ana (or Carmen, depends on who you ask) and Carlos (or Luis), who used to lean out their balconies across the valley to kiss each other. Both were brutally murdered by Ana's father, a wealthy Spanish aristocrat, when he discovered her daughter's love for Carlos, a poor miner.

The legend says that the couple who kisses in the third step of the alley will have 7 years of happiness and love, whilst the couple who passes the alley but decide to not kiss or even acknowledge the place, will have 7 years of despair and bad luck.

This is a short version of the legend; nonetheless, there are many versions for this legend, yet all of them end in at least Ana’s death.

#3

“The story of La Planchada is varied, with a number of legends as to the origin of the spirit. In all of the stories, the ghost is invariably a female nurse. Some tales say she was in love with a doctor who spurned her, leading her to take her own life, and in others she is simply a curmudgeon who disapproved of younger nurses, or perhaps she killed a patient in an attempt to ease their pain” (from: The mask of reason )

#4

Xochitl and Huitzilin fell in love when they were children and used to climb the mountain dedicated to Tonatiuh, the Mexica sun god, to offer him bouquets of flowers; however, Huitzilin went to fight in the war to defend the Mexica lands and died. Therefore, Xochitl asked the god Tonatiuh to reunite her with her beloved.

The sun god let his rays fall on Xochitl, and she was transformed into a yellow flower, on which a hummingbird landed and opened its 20 petals, releasing an intense aroma. Thus, it is said that the love of the Mexica couple will remain as long as there are hummingbirds and cempasúchil flowers in the Mexican fields.

Note: Regarding the English version, pls be aware that the correct term is , Aztecs or Aztecas.

#5

The legend of this place tells that a girl drowned entangled among the lilies and her body was found on the banks of Don Julian's chinampas. Since then, the spirit of the unfortunate girl had remained in the place, which scared Don Julian. To chase her away, Julian Santana began to place in his chinampa dolls that he collected in the garbage and in the canals of Cuemanco, he said that it was there to scare away evil spirits and get better crops.

As every legend, there are other versions of it.

#6

You could say that this legend is similar to La Llorona, it has preinvasion background, as well as Spanish influence due to the colonization.

According to the general legend, the black charro appears at night, in the streets of the cities, or on rural roads. Being mysterious, he sometimes accompanies walkers, but if the person agrees to get on the horse or receives the sack of gold coins from him, his soul will take the place of the black charro as the devil's personal collector.

The indigenous parts involve divinities such as Tamatsi Teiwari Yuawi from the Wixárika communities, whilst the Spanish contributions are mainly about the mention of the devil as a representation of evil (things that indigenous communities also had but represented differently). El charro negro or Mestizo azul punishes those who wreak havoc in the forests and commit greed, all whilst he guards the treasures.

[Spanish wiki]: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charro_Negro_(leyenda)

If you’ll like to suggest some legends, whether they are precolonial or contemporary, please do!