Chasca “The Virgin of The Water”

Long ago there was a powerful oligarch in the lands of the Barra de Santiago in Ahuachapan. This influential businessman called Pachacutec engaged his only daughter, Chasca, with the Zutuhil Prince.

Chasca was a really beautiful girl with a magnificent smile, body, and hair. She was the star of the city, and everybody wanted to date her. However, Chasca never loved her future husband or any other men in the city. Chasca’s pure heart belonged only to a poor and young fisherman called Acayetl. He delivered the tastiest fish during her 15th birthday, and it was love at first sight. This fisherman lived on Zanate Island.

Weeks later, Chasca visited Acayetl every night, and they sang and danced as if there was no end. Acayetl loved her, and he enjoyed every minute they spent together as if it was the last one. Plus, from time to time, Acayetl sang to Chasca while they were sailing on the coast, and she danced on the top of it.

However, one cold night when Chasca was on her way to Acayetl’s boat, the unbelievable happened, an arrow flew to Acayetl’s heart and killed him instantly. Chasca saw how her beloved died in front of her eyes, she couldn’t believe what had happened, and she took her life too. She tied a stone to her waist, went to the nearest cliff, and jumped into the water.

Pachacutec had sent the person who killed Acayetl and notified him that both had died. Pachacutec furiously killed this man with his own hands because he had lost everything due to a silly miscalculation.

Twenty years later …

Chasca’s spirit re-appeared on the Barra de Santiago coast during a full moon. She was dressing a magnificent dress made of feathers. She and her beloved Acayetl were on a magnificent white boat (figure 1). They were laughing, singing, and dancing with such great happiness that everyone was amazed by this miracle! They greeted everybody who saw them sailing one more time before they vanished at midnight.

Figure 1. Chasca and her beloved Acayetl. ¹

Today, no fisherman goes fishing during the full moon. They do not want to disturb the virgin of the water and her beloved Acayetl. That is why Acayetl and Chasca bless their fishing the next day.

Credits:
Location: Barra de Santiago, El Salvador

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