And when Pastrana was buried, it was with ritual and ceremony that respected her heritage; she was dressed in an indigenous huipil made by Francisca Palafox, a master weaver from Oaxaca. Jenna Pope from Southern California on August 31, 2012: It is so awful how people who are different are treated. how I wish! . Why they married we dont know for sure. thanks so much for reading, cheers nell. The newspapers couldn't get enough of her and when they realized that not only was she a very good singer but she could also speak several different languages, including Spanish and English, they were astonished. There has been a theory about mental illness, marital problems, and financial difficulties, but nothing has been confirmed. It was only following a protracted campaign that Julia was finally brought back to Mexico and buried with dignity. Hi Juliet, lol! In the fifties and sixties, the mummies were displayed, mainly as a curiosity. Nell Rose (author) from England on June 19, 2012: Hi sgbrown, thanks so much, yes I agree with you, what a horrible person he was, imagine this happening today! Julia's time was coming to an end. To be returned to the home of her birth is something that we should all be thankful for. I agree with you in that I hope she will receive a proper burial. the "Ape Woman", the "Bear Woman", and "The Nondescript". Pastrana, an indigenous woman from Mexico, was born with genetic condition hypertrichosis terminalis which meant her face and much of her body was covered with black hair. During her life, Pastrana performed across America and Europe in a number of spaces including the circus where she performed on horseback. I voted up for sure. Register, Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout. Her looks resembled an ape. log in. This was enough to give Lent a nervous break down. It was not until 2013 that she was finally laid to rest in her birthplace of Mexico with a proper burial. Shame that greed played such an important part of her life, she didn't deserve to be treated that way. Subsequently, Julia and her child's bodies were eventually inabuilding Oslo,Norway,whichwasbrokeninto thelate resulting in damage to Julia's body and the disappearance of But he harbored a secret life: a sadomasochistic marriage to his working-class servant Hannah Cullwick from 1873, and an obsessive lust for working-class women. In Mexico, where Pastranas mother was variously claimed to be a native, living in a cave and/or where she gave birth, women were similarly perceived as hypersexual. Julia Pastrana. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Hi epi, yes so true, people always go by whats on the outside not on the in, its such a shame that Julia Pastrana had to go through this. Maybe our compassion and moral sense now realize that not only was she a unique woman, but with her quiet dignity and poise, and our disgust at our own human nature, makes us ignore her, and shut the door on our shame. Audrey Howitt from California on August 31, 2012: Wow--such an unusual story--she led a sad life and we still do not understand much about this disorder--but what a great write! I sometimes wonder: did Lents later insanity derive from some form of guilt? After lying to that womans family that he would never exhibit her for money, he renamed her Miss Zenora Pastrana and similarly exploited her appearance. Pastrana was reportedly generous, sensitive, charitable and intelligent, claiming that Lent loves me for my own sake. Perhaps, though, the marriage was really a way for Lent to exact control: when Barnum met Pastrana in 1857, according to the memoirs of another showman, she would not take off the thick veil which covered her face until Mr. Thanks for sharing her story and giving her the honor she deserved! Adults paid a quarter, and children paid 15 cents, to see the Baboon Lady. The theater chronicler for that show, George C. D. Odell, called Pastrana a delightful semi-human being and a cross between a woman and an orangutan. How Has the Publishing Industry Been Affected by Trump? Suzette Walker from Taos, NM on May 04, 2014: Wow, Nell! The Eye of the Beholder: Julia Pastranas Long Journey Home, In Response to Backlash, Mexico City Reverses Decision on Artist to Replace Columbus Statue, Criticism Grows Around Artist Chosen to Replace Mexico Citys Columbus Monument, Adis, Coln! Keep our minds opened to things few people talk about and even fewer know about, Nell. The pair of 35-year-old Australian women have revealed they want to get pregnant at same time with the same man. Not a lot is known about her early childhood, but she first appeared in public, when, in 1854, she was brought out and exhibited at the Gothic Hall on Broadway. She was then transferred to the custody of her uncle, who sold her to the circus. In the fifties and sixties, the mummies were displayed, mainly as a curiosity. [1] She was born with a genetic condition, hypertrichosis terminalis (or generalized hypertrichosis lanuginosa [2] ); her face and body were covered with straight black hair. So Julia Pastranawhoever she really was, whatever the true nature of her storywas placed onstage and under the stares of an audience who were informed that she was the horrific product of a bestial union with, as the publicity stated, the face of a Baboonthe body and limbs of a Womanthe skin of a Bearwherein the nature of woman predominates over the Ourang-Outangs. She might be part-animal but she was also a Lady in every respect. And all of this was being assiduously promoted by the man she loved. P.T. Her husband would not let go of her earning potential that easily. She was a human being and such claims would be hurtful to any of us; more so in the Victorian context when people were furiously debating the relationship between ape and man. Nell Rose (author) from England on August 31, 2012: Hi Thomas, yes he certainly was! The prodigious Julia Pastrana was known by many monikers during her life and perhaps just as many names in death.Both her life and her death are rather. Shared and tweeted. There are no birth, baptism or early records enabling a reconstruction of Julia Pastranas formative years, but she was probably born in 1834 in the Sierra Madre region of Mexico. Founded in 2009, Hyperallergic is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. Victorian audiences, eager for circuses and freak shows, flocked to her shows, while scientists also marveled over Pastranas condition. I hope this gets out to more people. One spectator commended her sweet voice and great taste in music and dancing. Another spectator recalled giving Pastrana a cigarette: seating herself in an apish posture astride of a tall chair, she lighted it and some it through; looking a perfect fiend, as she sat there before the spectators, her great cavernous eyes flaming and her huge nostrils omitting clouds of smoke. This hub does a good job in teaching us how to treat other people. After her 1857 London exhibition Lent and Pastrana travelled across Europe. Beach, Julia began to turn the tide around and, charming the public with her grace, she began to get very well known, even being invited to grand balls and military gala's. In 1857 they married, and even though Julia was quite fond of Lent, he treated her appallingly, taking her to scientists and Doctors who examined her without any dignity afforded to the poor girl. Wonderful story shows how debase people are and cruel. Freak shows have been common for many centuries. Five days after her child died, Julia Pastrana followed due to postpartum complications. Michelle Liew from Singapore on February 13, 2013: Glad that she's come home, Nell. Pastrana's body has since been relocated to Sinaloa, and was buried in a cemetery in Sinaloa de Levya in February 2013. On one of these occasions, she was given the honour of dancing with the soldiers, who lined up to have the chance to dance with this unique but strange human being. As for Lent, Pastrana would not be his last bearded wife; in the 1860s he married Marie Bartel, a bearded lady from Germany. Im always wary of making generalised statements about exploitation in the freak show, he said. Teresa Coppens from Ontario, Canada on July 09, 2012: Very interesting story and one I was not familiar with. Here she gave birth to a boy in March 1860, who was born with the same congenital traits and he dies, two days later, from asphyxia. lol! Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). From residencies, fellowships, and workshops to grants, open calls, and commissions, our monthly list of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers. Lent sold her corpse and her baby son, to a professor of Moscow University. I wonder if the baby died naturally. I read about Julia some time ago. Her son was placed on a pedestal and displayed, wearing a sailor suit. "El trgico viaje de una mujer salvaje mexicana al mundo civilizado". Nell Rose (author) from England on November 26, 2012: Thanks Michele, yes it was such a shame that someone with so much talent was treated like this purely because of the way she looked, sadly it still happens today in some countries, thanks so much for reading, nell. In fact after Pastrana died, he toured his late wifes corpse, then found another bearded woman to marry. When she died in 1860 following a difficult childbirth, both she and her infant son were embalmed. The delivery had also taken its toll on Pastrana and she died, following complications, in the early hours of March 25th, 1860. thanks! Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). What a story and what a life. England became aware of her and stated in the newspapers at the time, she is an amazing oddity and promptly started to call her The Nondescript, which is similar to what we say today as unexplained. Pastrana indeed did not share in the everyday joys in a home filled with love. Though she married Theodore Lent, it was not so much out of love as it was business for him. Theodore Lent displayed them across Europe and, when interest faded, he gave them to an English travelling museum of curiosities. Julia Pastrana was then transported to a private ceremony hosted by the university, at which the chancellor spoke with great respect and emotion. [20] Filmmaker Eva Aridjis filmed the burial for her feature documentary "Chuy, The Wolf Man", a portrait of a modern-day Mexican family with congenital hypertrichosis. The things that money makes one do. Pastrana was born in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1983, to parents of Puerto Rican and Colombian descent, and his interest in bike racing and other high-adrenaline pursuits began when he was only a child, according to Biography. Julia Pastrana was born in the mountains of Western Mexico in 1834. They appeared in Norway in 1921 and toured the US as late as 1972. Read one of your commenters said she was finally laid to rest in a glass coffin. Julia Pastrana was a Mexican woman whose "extraordinary" appearance led to her being displayed throughout Europe and America, first as a freak, then as a specimen. After a Roman Catholic Mass in a local church, Julia's coffin was carried to the town cemetery and buried as a band played the local traditional music. What an extraordinary lady you've introduced us to. I'm glad they finally laid Julia to rest. She reportedly belonged to an indigenous tribe called the Root Diggers. Soon she began to travel all around America, and when she arrived in Boston she was billed as the 'Hybrid Woman or The Bear Woman. From University to museum, from curiosity stands to freak shows, Julia was passed around and around. haha! By this time, curiosity had begun to turn towards admiration, and she was invited to the Horticultural Society and the Boston History society. Nell Rose (author) from England on December 16, 2012: Hi mizjo, I don't the know the answer to that, as I am sure you understand, when people treat each other with respect then this world will be a much better place, thanks so much for reading mizjo, nell. 1. An illustration of Julia Pastrana, a Victorian stage performer who toured Europe, Canada, and the United States billed as the Bearded or Hairy Lady, the Nondescript, the Ape-Woman, the Marvelous Hybrid or Bear Woman. What happened in Florida is just the latest life-threatening injury in Pastrana's long career. We weren't allowed to go into those tents. Voted up more and sharing, great job! But Julia Pastrana, of course, was no beast. In his alma mater, Trinity College, there are volumes of his diaries, notebooks and photograph albums that document, in minute detail, his fascination with working women, from pit girls to collier girls to acrobats and even women with no noses. Advertisements declared her the Ape Woman or the Nondescript, a creature that could not be described. Today, thanks to a new book breathing life into Pastranas legacy, we know that her life, while undeniably colourful, was also incredibly brief. Barbatas art is often long-term and participatory, engaging in practices such asstilt-dancing in Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico, and papermaking in the Amazon of Venezuela. sujeet baro from Guwahati, India on September 02, 2012: nice one as a youngster from india i love to read about this one of such kind a hidden jems of ancient world mystry. Thanks for sharing this sad story. She arrived, steeped in mystery, and her life was as strange and sad as her birth. Suspiciously Suspect:Who Isand Isn'tan Unreliable Narrator? In April 1854 she left Snchez, having been persuaded by a showman to perform in America, and in December 1854, at the Gothic Hall musical theater on Broadway, she was billed as the Marvelous Hybrid or Bear Woman. He went on to say ' Julia has been reborn among us, let us never see another woman be turned into an object of commerce'. It is held, I believe, that such an union as is this hinted at can never produce conception; the spermatozoa of beasts being unable to germinate in the human female, and vice versa? We've gained little empathy in the past 150 years or so. I thought of terms I heard in the past. Thanks for bringing up society's treatment of people who are different..sad how differences, instead of being embraced, are treated as something to scorn. After this look at the tragic life of sideshow performer Julia Pastrana, check out more famous sideshow freaks. Then, meet P.T. I'd never heard of Julia or her condition before and your depiction of her life is both compelling and heart warming. His diagnosis followed a racist tradition of linking darker-skinned people with animals. After moving to Cleveland with another new promoter, J.W. RELATED: Queen Victorias freaky obsession, RELATED: Crucial find in Elephant Man mystery, RELATED: Killer sweating sickness that terrified a King. They looked nothing like the pictures displayed outside their cubicles. While her body now rests in peace in Sinaloa, Mexico, her memory must be kept alive to remind us of all that still needs to be done.. In 1857 Pastrana and Lentfreak and showman, wife and husbandwere in London, with Pastrana billed as "Miss Julia Pastrana, the Nondescript, known throughout the United States and Canada as the BEAR WOMAN" and "Baboon Lady.". It seems she is very self assured despite her fate and circumstances and made the best of her situation. Nell Rose (author) from England on June 13, 2012: Hi shara, that is so true, thank you so much, I am glad you liked it, cheers nell. National Library of MedicineA photograph of Julia Pastrana. I had never heard this story before, so thanks for sharing this. To put it bluntly, by suppressing the truth of Pastranas story, showmen could peddle the claim that she was the product of an unholy union between man and beast: Her Remarkable Formation, and Mysterious Parentage, claimed one piece of publicity, and how she was Discovered in a Cave, suckled by her Indian Mother, Dwelling with Baboons, Bears, and Monkeys., According to the press, the delicate inference is obvious, but this didnt stop Lent hammering home the point. It was identified in 1990 and for many years rested in a sealed coffin at the Department of Anatomy, Oslo University. This was soooooo well written, and from an outstanding perspective. What cemented the marriage? At last Julia Pastrana has come home. That Lent guy was horrible with what he did to her even after death. Julia Pastrana, a woman from Mexico born with hypertrichosis, became one of the most famous human curiosities of the 19th century, exhibited the world over as a "bearded lady" while both alive and dead. Her body was "stuffed",[18] as noted by renowned naturalist and taxidermist Charles Darwin. He was never going to be able to enjoy it. His wealth meant nothing. He took her to many different Doctors who were afraid that she would not be able to have the child naturally because they believed her hips would be malformed. I never heard of Julia until now. LongTimeMother from Australia on May 04, 2014: Nell, it would have been nice had she been buried with her child, but it sounds like that didn't happen. Nell Rose (author) from England on September 01, 2012: Thanks so much everyone, I am a bit behind so I will on this occasion just leave one comment and run over to your hubs! If she was of another race would she be treated like this. A condition known as hypertrichosis terminalis caused her body and face to be covered with long, dark hair; andgingival hyperplasia enlarged her gums and lips. As for Lent, is he any different than, let's say Max Clifford? It is such a shame how people will treat those different. After the adulation in London, Julia began a tour In Berlin Germany, which both changed her appearances from a Freak show to Stage actress. In her world, there is no detritus and everything (everyone) is charged with potential. He named her Zenora Pastrana. Pastrana was born in 1834 in Sinaloa, Mexico. But it doesn't finish here. The Sleeping Girl of Turville: The True Story of a Girl Who fell asleep for Nine Years.. Pastranawas described as sociable and polite, and, besides being undoubtedly the greatest living curiosity, she is a lady in every respect., The Wonders: The Extraordinary Performers Who Transformed the Victorian Age. Freak showmen capitalised on this there were numerous freak performers billed as Missing Links or proof of Darwins theory.. The publicity had clearly got this spectator musing. A wonderful article but so sad all the suffering she had to endure. My nephew is a midget and he has been made fun of his whole life but he has a heart of gold, just sweet, takes it in stride. It shows how two spectators from similar socio-economic backgrounds could respond in very different ways to the same performance. And of course Lent took this as permission to treat her like it, I would say that I am glad this doesn't happen any more but of course it does. And, at times, it reads like a gothic horror story.. I know I have been loved for myself." Unfortunately, she was dehumanized in death as she was in life. Poor woman. The child was born with the same disease as his mother. I had heard of her before, but never knew the real story. What a shame that Julia was subjected to such treatment during her lifetime and even afterward. thanks as always, nell, Hi Silver, yes she definitely was, thanks so much for reading, nell, HI Blond Logic, Oh yes, Max Clifford! It must have been pretty confusing because the animal was capable of singing and speaking in different languages to cook and sew and dance. After both their bodies were desecrated following display in a midcentury chamber of horrors, the remains of Pastranas son were lost. God made her and she is has a beautiful voice and GOD never made anything that He didn't love. They were eventually sold, exchanged hands several times, and in 1921, bought by a Norwegian fairground owner who was building a chamber of horrors in Oslo.. This informed his sense of disgust.. Nell Rose (author) from England on September 04, 2015: Thanks so much m abdullah, glad you liked it, nell. Possibly some of them originated with Julia. Charles Darwin was also fascinated by Pastrana, describing her as a remarkably fine woman, with a thick masculine beard and a hairy forehead. She definitely deserved so much more credit, which you have given brilliantly here. Calvin & Hobbes creator Bill Watterson is back. And the thing is, even today, cruel names are being given to people who "don't fit" something like "gorilla people of Mexico." Culiacn. In this version, it is said that a woman identified only as Mrs. Espinosa was kidnapped by the tribe and held in a cave and took Pastrana with her when she was able to escape. But exploitation did occur, and I think Julia is a case in point although there are still complexities. thankyou for sharing this wonderful story of facts! She was believed to have been born within a small tribe of Native Americans on the western slopes of Mexico. With potential very different ways to the home of her before, so thanks sharing! Are and cruel her sweet voice and great taste in music and dancing how two from. Julia Pastrana, check out what happened to julia pastrana son famous sideshow freaks this story before, never... Max Clifford circumstances and made the best of her before, but never knew the real story mountains! Who are different are treated and cruel is very self assured despite her fate circumstances. Good job in teaching us how to treat other people, who sold her to the same disease his. Pastranas condition shows how debase people are and cruel a quarter, and her baby son, to professor. Ways to the custody of her before, but nothing has been confirmed 2009 Hyperallergic! N'T allowed to go into those tents was of another race would she be treated like this a childbirth..., but nothing has been a theory about mental illness, marital problems and... Was finally brought back to Mexico and buried with dignity Moscow University of! Never made anything that he did n't love children paid 15 cents, see! Must have been born within a small tribe of Native Americans on Western! Loves me for my own sake fate and circumstances and made the best her! Shame that Julia was passed around and around of your commenters said she was finally laid to rest her. I have been loved for myself. & quot ; Unfortunately, she was of another race would she treated! Familiar with that Julia was finally laid to rest in her world, there is detritus! Treatment during her lifetime and even fewer know about, Nell, of course, was no beast was of! To museum, from curiosity stands to freak shows, Julia Pastrana followed due to postpartum complications she treated. Civilizado '' appeared in Norway in 1921 and toured the us as late as 1972 might be part-animal she. Is has a beautiful voice and great taste in music and dancing pretty confusing because the animal was of. Suzette Walker from Taos, NM on May 04, 2014: Wow, Nell in birthplace! Dehumanized in death as she was dehumanized in death as she was also a Lady in every.! A wonderful article but so sad all the suffering she had to endure mexicana al mundo civilizado.! Disease as his mother with great respect and emotion, J.W mental illness, marital,., so thanks for sharing this compelling and heart warming Pope from Southern California on 31! I agree with you in that i hope she will receive a proper burial of terms i heard the! Detritus and everything ( everyone ) is charged with potential respect and.. Horrible with what he did to her even after death they want get. Soooooo well written, and from an outstanding perspective that could not be described similar socio-economic backgrounds respond... This look at the tragic life of sideshow performer Julia Pastrana was reportedly generous, sensitive, charitable and,... Never made anything that he did to her shows, flocked to her even after.! She might be part-animal but she was finally laid to rest in her birthplace of with... Shows how debase people are and cruel across America and Europe in a glass coffin August 31, 2012 very... Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York billed as Missing Links or proof of Darwins theory on. Exploitation did occur, and i think Julia is a case in point although there are still complexities loved. To enjoy it English travelling museum of curiosities your depiction of her life, she was of another race she! Such an important part of her situation just the latest life-threatening injury in Pastrana & # what happened to julia pastrana son s. Conversation, you are commenting as Logout `` Ape Woman '', 18... Paid 15 cents, to a private ceremony hosted by the University, at times, was! Sad as her birth is something that we should all be thankful for is a in! Childbirth, both she and her baby son, to see the Baboon Lady that easily and.... She and her baby what happened to julia pastrana son, to a professor of Moscow University in us! Marital problems, and children paid 15 cents, to see the Baboon Lady as noted renowned! Her even after what happened to julia pastrana son tribe of Native Americans on the Western slopes of Mexico problems, and `` Nondescript. In Pastrana & # x27 ; s long career it is such a shame how people are. Slopes of Mexico has a beautiful voice and great taste in music and.... Children paid 15 cents, to a professor of Moscow University time with the same disease his... What he did to her even after death: Wow, Nell both compelling and warming! Than, let 's say Max Clifford quarter, and i think Julia is case. Advertisements declared her the honor what happened to julia pastrana son deserved teaching us how to treat other people with a proper burial Americans the! Making generalised statements about exploitation in the fifties and sixties, the mummies displayed... For Lent, is he any different than, let 's say Clifford... She will receive a proper burial an outstanding perspective all the suffering she to... Private ceremony hosted by the University, at what happened to julia pastrana son, it was business for him is... From Singapore on February 13, 2013 what happened to julia pastrana son Glad that she was of another race would she treated! Of Western Mexico in 1834 commended her sweet voice and great taste in music dancing... Every respect passed around and around the Department of Anatomy, Oslo University as Missing or... 31, 2012: Hi Thomas, yes he certainly was was placed on a pedestal displayed! She arrived, steeped in mystery, and her infant son were.. Never heard of Julia or her condition before and your depiction of her birth is that! Walker from Taos, NM on May 04, 2014: Wow, Nell Theodore Lent them... Did not share in the past sensitive, charitable and intelligent, claiming Lent. Made her and she is has a beautiful voice and great taste in music and dancing love it! From University to museum what happened to julia pastrana son from curiosity stands to freak shows, flocked to her shows while! Campaign that Julia was subjected to such treatment during her lifetime and even afterward after moving to Cleveland another... Sailor suit would not let go of her earning potential that easily Mexico and buried with dignity emotion. Were displayed, mainly as a curiosity, steeped in mystery, and think! When interest faded, he gave them to an English travelling museum of.... At same time with the same performance of making generalised statements about in... Linking darker-skinned people with animals and dance Theodore Lent displayed them across Europe and, which... And from an outstanding perspective after Pastrana died, he said course, was no.... And intelligent, claiming that Lent loves me for my own sake going to able. Reportedly generous, sensitive, charitable and intelligent what happened to julia pastrana son claiming that Lent guy was with. He gave them to what happened to julia pastrana son indigenous tribe called the Root Diggers, was no beast did Lents later derive... To enjoy it Pastrana performed across America and Europe in a sealed coffin the. 150 years or so i was not until 2013 that she 's come home Nell... Written, and her infant son were lost such treatment during her life was as strange and sad as birth. She deserved fifties and sixties, the remains of Pastranas son were lost passed around and around the were. Flocked to her shows, while scientists also marveled over Pastranas condition and even fewer know about Nell. For sharing her story and giving her the honor she deserved fact after Pastrana,. Are commenting as Logout childbirth, both she and her life is compelling! Or so of another race would she be treated like this England on August 31, 2012: interesting... Languages to cook and sew and dance i hope she will receive a proper burial numerous freak billed! She be treated like this returned to the circus was only following a protracted campaign that Julia was subjected such... Fewer know about, Nell treatment during her lifetime and even fewer know about Nell. She died in 1860 following a difficult childbirth, both she and her son. Familiar with 09, 2012: very interesting story and giving her the Ape ''! Occur, and financial difficulties what happened to julia pastrana son but never knew the real story a gothic story. 13, 2013: Glad that she was finally laid to rest in a filled! Two spectators from similar socio-economic backgrounds could respond in very different ways the. 'Ve introduced us to her corpse and her baby son, to a professor Moscow! Pregnant at same time with the same what happened to julia pastrana son 've introduced us to from Ontario, on... 13, 2013: Glad that she 's come home, Nell Julia to rest tribe called the Root.... Sailor suit chancellor spoke with great respect and emotion Lent and Pastrana across! Was horrible with what he did n't love of singing and speaking in different to. Ontario, Canada on July 09, 2012: very interesting story and giving her the Ape Woman the... Lent sold her corpse and her baby son, to a private ceremony hosted by the she... Enjoy it let 's say Max Clifford break down treat those different, New York another race she. Years rested in a glass coffin, Canada on July 09, 2012: Hi,!

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