Fern Flower
Published on September 9, 2020

Guizhe

Regions of expansion

Cuba 1
Cuba

Description

Guije or Guije are creatures from Cuban folklore. Cuba is known all over the world for its impressive cave systems. It is believed that these creatures also shared space with primitive humans, competing for resources, until finally they were expelled by Homo Sapiens, but they are still found today. 

They are described as rather short: height from three to four feet (0.9-1.2 m). They are black, hairy and gifted with amazing strength. They were also associated with ponds and pools of still water, and their presence was considered a bad omen.

In the legends of the city of Sagua la Grande, compiled by Gomez de Avellaneda, there is such a colorful description of the behavior of Guye:

"They say that there is a pool in the place near the Barrio de Guata, where the river is at its deepest level. This place has become the habitat of a monster that devours anyone who dares to swim in its waters, leaving no traces other than splashes of blood on the surface.

 And what might this monster look like? For those who have seen it, it is a mixture of a man and a monkey with powerful claws and sharp teeth." 

The mention of bathers who were apparently killed in the water is reminiscent of reports from Oklahoma Salier Lake involving swimmers and boaters apparently captured by an aquatic bigfoot.

Guizhe in popular culture