Defenders of Colombian nature
Colombia is a country that is well known for its diversity of myths and legends, some are characterized by being very terrifying as the “Llorona” or the “Pata sola”, others whose purpose is to punish the bad deeds of men, that is the case of La Madre Monte and El Hojarasquin, of which I will speak below.
A woman that is dressed in leaves and bushes and lives in the depths of the forest is known as “La Madre Monte,” the mystery: her face, hidden by the sun and the moon. We can hear the cry of the wild beast among the trees and see the figure lost in the trees, but no one has ever seen her face covered with moss and shadow. She lives in tangled places with leafy trees, far from any noise of civilization, and in warm, calm forests with dangerous animals. Legend has it that when La Madre Monte bathes in the headwaters of the rivers, they become muddy and overflow, creating floods and strong storms that cause frightening damage.
Moreover, it is said that La Madre Monte chases and punishes anyone who harms nature, her eyes turn a dazzling orange color, she appears over the hunter and the woodcutter and with her penetrating eyes, she stuns them, leaving them unconscious with terror at the sight of this creature. La Madre Monte watches over the earth day and night, keeping watch over its greatest predator, man, in order to prevent any evil.
For many it is a tree-like man, covered with moss, branches, and flowers, walking fast and sneakily among the foliage, amidst a thunderous noise of dry leaves, for others a totally terrifying being that scares even the bravest man of all. Known as El Hojarasquin, a spirit that together with La Madre Monte is in charge of caring for and protecting nature. Legend has it that the Hojarasquin cautiously and unseen follows the predator of nature to punish them for damaging their home.
Thanks to this, deep respect takes over the man who damages the earth, understanding that nature cannot be played with nor can it be harmed just for the sake of it, without need, just for fun. However, El Hojarasquin is not an evil spirit, he takes care of nature, dances, sings, and plays with it, and he protects every creature that is there, but it is logical that he gets angry when they try to harm his own place.
El Hojarasquin and La Madre Monte are legends that are not terrifying at all, but rather deal with issues that today are a reality, and that is the damage that we humans are doing to the earth, as we mistreat it without compassion. These mythical beings were created by humans to represent a being that defends and protects nature, to raise awareness and show how every bad action has its punishment.