History

There is much speculation of the origin of El Cucuy however it is generally believed to originate in the Iberian peninsula in Spain and Portugal. Following the geographic map of colonization throughout Latin American by Spain and Portugal, we can see where these stories made an impact on the various cultures being colonized as well as the Catholic churches subconcious role in the spread of secular folklore. Growing up in a Chicana family, my great-grandfather watched me in the summers and after school. Whenever we were not listening he would say, "be careful, you better listen or El Cucuy will come and get you". El Cucuy is a figure most commonly thought of as a Latin American boogeyman. Often depicted as a male entity, El Cucuy is told as a cautionary tale to young children that if they do not listen to their elders, the creature will come for them in the night. 

There are many theories as to where this tale first emerged, however as stated by Alan Gerardo Padilla Aguilar in his article for the Latino Book Review The Origin of El Cucuy (El Coco), the term "el coco" came from the spanish word for coconut, or nuts, often being compared to a human head. Over time this came to refer to headgear in a general sense, including cloaks in part due to the attire of Catholic church. This has shaped an image of the Latin boogeyman of today.