The legend of the witches of Naica is one of the most famous in the region of Saucillo, Chihuahua, in northern Mexico. Today, this region is known as the Witch Capital of the World. The story behind Naica, together with the natural scenery of great beauty, with the fear of witches and their power, is full of a certain mysticism that is almost magnetic for all visitors who come to check if the legend is true.
Legends are an essential part of villages all over the world. There are legends of all kinds, from the most romantic ones that bring a great teaching, such as the Aztec legend of the hummingbird, to the strangest ones, such as the origin of the Krampus during Christmas. It is not surprising that mysticism and mystery also generate legends derived from facts that cannot be explained by immediate logic, and that is the case of the legend of the witches of Naica.
The largest crystals in the world
Naica is a town located in the south of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It is well known for having soil rich in different elements, and therefore, the main activity that sustains the region is mining. It is, in fact, the largest producer of lead in the country.
But metals are not the only thing that lives in the subsoil of Naica, there lies the Cueva de los Cristales, which has the largest crystals in the world. It is also called the Cave of the Swords, and this is not random. The enormous crystals inside resemble the swords of giants out of a fantasy story. They are mineral formations that are composed of selenite and that is why they have the characteristic whitish color that makes them almost magical to observe.
This is why Naica is one of the most outstanding tourist destinations among speleology lovers. But giant crystals are not the only thing that characterizes this town; precisely, the presence of a large number of mines has given rise to the belief in witches who, according to the inhabitants, hide in the caves to come out at night.
The legend of the witches of Naica
In Mexico, it is a widespread idea that one of the appearances of witches when they are not in their normal corporeal form, is that of floating balls of fire in the middle of the darkness. In Chihuahua, this belief is no exception. There is an idea throughout the town of Naica, that after ten o’clock at night it is possible to see the fireballs coming out of their hiding places in the mines. The rumors among the villagers about this paranormal phenomenon are so strong that Naica has even been named the Witch Capital of the World and there are even mines with signs where the slogan ‘Cave of the Witches’ can be seen, such as the Maple Mine.
It is said that the witches have one main objective, of searching to recruit young women to join their coven. But among all the stories, there is one that strongly fuels the legend of witches in this Mexican region. It is common to hear the story of a young woman who worked in a local bakery and, after leaving her work shift, decided to visit the lake of Naica to admire the reflection of the full moon. But the woman was so enraptured by the sweet moon that she forgot the time and did not make it home before the ringing of the church bells, which announced the witching hour.
When the young woman did not return home, the whole town began an intense search for her whereabouts, but to no avail. According to the legend told by the villagers in Naica, the young woman was not seen again until one day, many years later. She was seen by the lake, although she no longer had a normal appearance: her appearance was described as macabre. This is why the villagers believe that the young woman was recruited by the witches to become one of them.
Fatuous fires
The appearance of fireballs in the middle of nature has been part of legends since ancient times. And although in Mexico and other regions of Central America, it is believed that these are actually witches wandering in the darkness, there is a scientific explanation for the appearance of these fiery orbs.
They are called “wildfires” and consist of the ignition of certain types of decomposing organic materials, mainly phosphorus and methane. When an animal passes or even when there is decomposing vegetation, a mixture of this type of organic matter is generated, which then releases small flames that burn in the air, as if they were suspended in nothingness.
In places like swamps, forests, or even in cemeteries, fatuous fires are a recurrent phenomenon that has generated countless legends around them. The witches of Naica may be one of these extraordinary phenomena.
Story originally published in Spanish in Ecoosfera