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==See also== | ==See also== | ||
*[[ | *El [[Cuco]] | ||
*[[Cuca]] | *[[Cuca]] | ||
Revision as of 20:56, 11 February 2009
The cucuy or el cucuy is the boogeyman of Latin American cultures.
Etymology
The cucuy is known by different names to different people in Latin America, and even among Latinos in the USA. Other names include coco, cocu, cuco, chucho and chamuco.
Description
The cucuy has no specific appearance, but rather is the subject of an irrational fear. However, some describe it as a small humanoid with glowing red eyes (alien-like).
Behavior
Like the bogeyman, el cucuy may hide in a closet or under the bed, or he may come out of the dark to terrorize a child. His name may be whispered to a child by parents to frighten the child into staying close by and behaving well. “Portate bien o te lleva el cucuy,” a parent may say. “Behave, or the cucuy will get you.”
Art/Fiction
- Danny Trejo's mercenary character Cucuy in the movie Once Upon A Time In Mexico is named after the boogeyman.
- Hard rock band Coal Chamber recorded a song named El Cu Cuy, available on the album Coal Chamber.
- Ska-Punk band Voodoo Glow Skulls composed a song named El Coo Cooi, present in the album Firme, in both spanish and english versions.
- Claudia Galindo, A school teacher, wrote two children's books titled Do you know the cucuy and Its Bedtime Cucuy.
- George Lopez has mentioned the Cucuy in more than one of his comedy shows. Stating "if my abuela wants to come live with me, I'll put her in the Cucuy room."
- El Cucuy is often mentioned in the comic strip Baldo.