The Cursed Island of the Dolls.

The island is known as ¨Isla de las Muñecas¨ or The Island of the Dolls, and locals believe the island is cursed. Not only is the island believed to be cursed. It was a sanctuary during the time of Cortez.

Women fled and hid in the canals to avoid being raped. In addition, women committed suicide as they felt it was better than being caught by the conquistadors. Later, it was used as a shelter for those who needed sanctuary. The island, a chinampas, is a man-made floating garden made by the Aztecs. Most of these chinampas were filled in to make up a more significant part of Mexico City; however, these few canals survived.

Don Julian Santa Berrera was one of those who wanted to escape society; in the mid-1950s, he left his wife and family and moved to the island. To escape the world he lived in, to be alone and live a life of solitude. Some say he was exiled because of his strong religious beliefs, and some say he was mentally unstable, possibly having an undiagnosed mental disease, one that could account for the obsessive nature of what becomes of the island.

One day he finds a dead girl on the shore of his island. Some stories say that he witnessed her drown; however, with each version of the tale, Julian is overcome with grief, and he felt responsible for her death. In all versions, he finds a doll in the same spot where he found the little girl.

He thought the doll belonged to the dead girl. So he hung the doll on the island to keep her company in the afterlife. However, there are a few versions of this story; some say he did this to honor the girl's spirit, and some say he did this to appease the spirit and protect himself. It is also believed he hung the doll to protect the girl from demons in the afterlife.

There are many rumors about why he started hanging the dolls, and the girl's death was also a legend. There was no proof that a girl died on the island or that she existed. Whatever you believe in regards to the body, Julian thought the spirit of the girl was on the island with him. It would request more dolls, so he began collecting more and more. Her soul would be satisfied for a short time, but only for a short time.

He then would hear the little girl's voice demanding more and more. He began going into town and going through the dumpsters and collecting dolls to bring him back to satisfy the spirit. He would hang up the dolls as he found them, which is why some of them have missing limbs, and eyes or are hairless. So is he protecting himself from being harmed by the spirit, or is he trying to satisfy the spirit?

In the beginning, the dolls were hung out of respect for the little girl and spirit; it morphed into an obsession, and his family thought it was the will of an unseen force. Those who knew him said he told them he thought the dolls were possessed, and he had to keep them happy by giving them more and more dolls. He continued appeasing the spirits for the 50 years he lived on the island.

Julian did keep a shrine to the original doll on the island and his other favorite doll. In his later years, he walked with a cane, traded vegetables with the locals, and they paid him with more dolls. He also would allow a few to come and tour his island for a few pesos.

However, in 2001 his nephew Anastasio came to the island to help him work in his garden. When his nephew finished working in the garden, he walked to the canals and discovered Julian dead in the water. He was found in the same spot where the little girl and doll were. After the death of Julian, Anastasio claimed he saw the dolls move their heads and whisper to each other.

Anastasio feels the island is haunted and has reported hearing a little girl's voice at night. He also says you can listen to the sounds of Julian's cane at night. There are rumors that the little girl's spirit, in combination with the dolls, conspired to kill Julian. I also wonder, could the ghosts of the women who committed suicide to avoid being raped by the conquistadors also be haunting the island?

Originally published here.

References:

https://www.discovery.com/exploration/the-island-of-the-dolls-has-a-murky-and-terrifying-history

https://youtu.be/Mx8JkGHaGUI

https://nypost.com/2021/10/30/real-story-behind-haunted-island-of-the-dolls-in-mexico/

https://isladelasmunecas.com/

https://www.thetravel.com/what-is-the-story-of-the-island-of-the-dolls/