Anchancho (안찬초)

SpiritBolivia · South AmericaLegendFear 7/10

Description

Malevolent Andean cave-dwelling spirit that attacks travelers near mountain passes, caves, and abandoned mines. Takes the form of a deformed dwarf or shapeless darkness. Causes sudden illness, madness, and death. Pregnant women and children are especially vulnerable to its attacks

Origin & Background

Anchanchu is a legendary Andean vampire that originated from the Aymara region of Bolivia. According to tradition, Anchanchu is considered the illegitimate child of Ekeko, born from an affair between Mallku of Chamarcana and his concubines. Ekeko is the central figure of the Alasitas festival held in La Paz every January 24th.

The Legend

Anchanchu is a being that can transform into a helpless old traveler, a wealthy Aymara woman with golden teeth, an alluring gringa, or a monstrous animal. When a passerby tries to help, Anchanchu turns them into a sacrifice, draining their blood, which causes the victim to die from blood loss or disease. Due to this lethality, Anchanchu is regarded as the most feared evil entity among the Aymara people.

Variants

The legend of Anchanchu is also shared among Aymara communities in Peru, but the Peruvian version is quite different. In Peru, Anchanchu is described as a duende, a being similar to a dwarf. Known as 'Muki' or 'Muqui', it lives underground and has a strong obsession with gold. Additionally, Anchanchu is associated with the Urus god Tiw, who is the guardian of mines, rivers, and lakes.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Anchanchu" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia