Juax, the Gravedigger (1521-1584)

The area around the Lago de Paxcuini is famous for their Festival of Death. As a parade of masked and feathered ghouls, the inhabitants walk in a solemn procession through the graveyards, ringing bells without clappers. The legend associated with a traditional belief, which originated in the 16 th Century, states that anyone who hears the bells ringing, he/she shall be the next to die.

Juax was the grave digger and guardian of souls on the Island of Janzilo some time in the early 16 th Century. He was not only entrusted in following proper burial rites, but was expected to comfort the souls during the weeks following their death. Around this time, Spanish clergy descended on Janzilo and the forced conversion to Catholicism began. Among many sweeping changes, the clergy insisted that the newly dead have one finger fitted with a string tied to bell located above ground. This had been a widespread practice in Europe for years, as many exhumed bodies were discovered to have vainly scratched the insides of their coffins or tombs after awakening from a ‘false death'. Thus, it was Juax's role, as keeper of the dead, to set the bells in place and save all who were buried alive.

Jaux, however, saw no compelling reason to adopt this new tradition. He knew from his conversations with the dead that none had suffered such an ordeal in his graveyard. He also knew the trickster nature of many spirits, and felt that if the wind didn't ring the bells, the spirits would. So, in an effort to assuage the overbearing priests, Jaux complied with the request. However, each night after a burial, Jaux removed each bell's clapper.

Several years later, Jaux was found dead in the graveyard on a cool October morning. All around his body lay the bells he had pulled off their strings; all had grass and mud stuffed into them. The town's people believe that Jaux awoke that October night to hear the ringing of many bells. Thinking that the din was merely a practical joke, he walked through the graveyard to investigate. All around him, the bells from each grave rang, telling him of his imminent death. Driven mad by the cacophony and unaware of the omen, Jaux vainly attempted to silence them by filling them with mud and leaves. It is thought that Jaux died shortly before dawn.

Hence forth, each autumn in the region, a traditional parade of souls calls the fated to their death with the ringing of silent bells. The fated ones who have heard them describe the sound as bittersweet.