Soucouyant

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The Soucouyant lives by day as an old woman at the end of the village. By night, however, she strips off her wrinkled skin, puts it in a mortar and flies in the shape of a fireball through the darkness, looking for a victim to suck the life-blood out of. To get rid of her, you must put coarse salt in the mortar containing her skin, then she cannot put it back on and must perish.

This is a famous Trinidadian Legend, in which many believe is somewhat true. The Soucouyant practices witchcraft, voodoo, and black magic.

1 Origin
2 Beliefs
3 References
4 See also

[edit] Origin

Belongs to a class of spirits called Jumbies. However, some believe that soucouyants were brought from the European countries which brought with them vampires from France that intermingled with the Africans which were then enslaved. Although for those who don't have the spirit to believe in actual witch lore, many believe that soucouyants were actually elder ladies, who experienced many things a lot of people could not bear. Those with mean humour would make up witch stories about them in regard to their wrinkled skin, and wisdom.

[edit] Beliefs

The skin of the soucouyant is said to be very valuable, as it is used when practicing the Black Magic - Obeah. The soucouyant can enter a home by turning into a fireball, and then entering through the keyhole or any crack/crevice in the home. If the soucouyant draws out too much blood from its victim, it is believed that the victim will die and become a soucouyant themselves. However some belief that the victim dies and that the existing soucouyant takes over/possesses the victims skin.