The Giantess of Jocoro

In 1908, a few people found some human bones that belonged to a two meters tall woman. In those days, the location of the bones was called San José, but today is known as the Giant Hill.

However, from these bones, nothing is known. People assure some scientists took the bones to be examined in another country, but the results were never known.

The mayor in those days, Santiago Mata, commissioned Naftalí to elaborate it and sculpted the face in wood and painted it. Then he formed the body so that a person could get under it and make it turn so that it would seem that it danced.

The finding caused a stir among the inhabitants and led to the creation of a popular myth that ended up becoming the legend of “the giantess of Jocoro” (figure 1).

Figure 1. The giantess of Jocoro.

A story that over the years has given way to the development of an extraordinary doll that is accompanied by a court of masked men. It goes out to dance through the streets of the municipality every February.

To honor the development of giant dolls and honor a tradition of the municipality. Every February 3rd, the Festival of the Giantess of Jocoro.

Over the years, “the Giantess of Jocoro” became a popular tradition in El Salvador. Currently, people dance in parades of patronal celebrations in many municipalities around the country.

The Giantess, whom the Jocorenses appreciate as their heritage, has been undeclared as such, although her house is in the Nuevo Barrio, in the hands of Lazo’s family.

Inspired by Leyendas de El Salvador’s version.
Location: Morazán, El Salvador

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