Soucouyant, also known as Soucoyah, in Trinidad lore appears as an old woman who sheds her skin at night. The skinless phantom flies through the air, usually appearing as a ball of fire and sucks the blood from her victims.
Origin
This blood-sucking shapeshifter belongs to a class of evil spirits known as jumbies.
Thought to be an old woman, the Soucouyant is said to hide her skin under a stone mortar, the one she uses to grind her food.
Main Belief
Skins shed by the Soucouyant are very valuable in order to practice the Obeah magic.
If too much blood is drained, some theories say victims may die and become Soucoyant themselves.
Soucouyant may turn into a fire ball, then enters the house of victims though a hole or a keyhole.
Behaviour/Features
It’s still debatable whether the victim becomes a new Soucoyan or an existing Soucouyant possesses the dead victim's skin.
The Soucouyant must return to her skin by morning, hence possession of the skin by an Obeah gives control over the Soucouyant.
Soucouyants may be stopped by scattering rice or flour at the front of the doorway. They will be forced to stop and count all the grains. As this can’t possibly be achieved before dawn comes so the will lose their power.
How to kill a Soucouyant
A Soucouyant can be killed by visiting her place when she left her skin and sprinkling it with hot pepper, for she will burn to death once they try to put it back on.
References
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