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. Standing in front of an audience of thousands, Julia looked down at the audience and sang in a most beautiful voice. Mike Robbers from London on February 14, 2013: What a story! By Charles Wilson Feb. 11, 2013 Her own husband called her a "bear woman." An 1854 advertisement in The New York Times said she was the "link between mankind and the ourang-outang." She became. As . She was in Moscow at the time, on tour. Nell Rose (author) from England on July 01, 2020: I totally agree with you Alvene. 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. The baby was torn to pieces. This is so sad to read how this woman was exploited. But she was also subjected to multiple intrusive examinations as doctors tried to reveal the mystery behind her appearance one doctor claimed she was the result of mating between a human and an orangutan, while another stated that she was a distinct species., Others agreed that she was just a normal woman with a disease.. Jenna Pope from Southern California on August 31, 2012: It is so awful how people who are different are treated. In programs I have watched , people didn't feel like they were being used, they felt 'special'. In the mid-1850s, she set off to travel and perform across the United States and Europe. Credit: Process print after G. Wick. I had read quite a bit about Julia Pastrana before ina book "Very pecial People" but not as in depth as you provide here. Billed as "the missing link" between apes and man, Julia Pastrana was checked out by several physicians who produced certificates which were displayed wherever Pastrana went on tour stating that she was not really a woman at all, but rather a new species of half-human, half-ape hybrid. Julia Pastrana's last words on her deathbed were "I am dying happy". Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Affordable Art Fair Returns to NYC With Contemporary Art Under $12,000, Nancy Rubins on Objects in the In-Between, The Palestinian-American Artist Getting Cheeky With Corporate Logos, Londons Castle Cinema Keeps the Magic of Film Alive, Whimsical Childrens Film Tackles War and Displacement in Syria, London Hospital Removes Gaza Childrens Art to Placate Pro-Israel Group, The Society Photographer of NYCs Downtown Underground, NY Legislators Move to Rename Cuomo Bridge. It was 162 years ago this month that Pastrana was first put on display for the public, with newspaper advertisements using the most vile racist descriptions of her. It shows how two spectators from similar socio-economic backgrounds could respond in very different ways to the same performance. Hi Juliet, lol! In their version, Pastrana was born with the condition hypertrichosis, which covered her face and body in thick hair. Voted up. Nell Rose (author) from England on April 28, 2014: Thanks so much for reading suzzycue, yes she was an amazing woman, imagine having to face the world, and live with that evil man, but she came through singing, but sadly she had a terrible ending, nell. From March 22 to 26, over 70 local, national, and international galleries present extraordinary art at accessible prices. This was a radical idea that discombobulated mans place in nature. Jake Berthots paintings are haunted by an awareness of mortality and, beyond that, a feeling that no light awaits in the darkness. After both their bodies were desecrated following display in a midcentury chamber of horrors, the remains of Pastranas son were lost. When Julia Pastrana died at the young age of 26, she was known as the "world's ugliest woman." Having spent almost her entire life being exhibited, with her death, it almost seemed like she could finally rest in peace. Known as the marvellous hybrid or Bear Woman, others called her The Ugliest woman in the World. What many people don't realise is that at the time of Slavery, the Turks came over to England, Wales and Ireland and took many of us Brits as slaves, they were treated appallingly, but for some reason history has decided to wipe the truth clean, and of course it still happens today in some of those countries, maybe one day we will learn to treat each other with respect, thanks so much for reading Juliet, glad you liked it, nell. Used with the permission of the publisher, Pegasus Books. She appeared again in Hitlers Germany where she was put on display in the occupied territories. Thanks Nell! Julia Pastrana was born in the mountains of Western Mexico in 1834. And so, death didnt free Pastrana from public gawking. Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on May 04, 2014: This story just shows how far society has really come in acceptance of those who are different than we are. lol. Shared and tweeted. 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. This is where those two accounts of her origin story converge. His diagnosis followed a racist tradition of linking darker-skinned people with animals. According to Dr Woolf, the other man was Arthur Munby a civil servant who lived a secret life. Something went way wrong in the chromosome department when she was conceived. According to spectators and those who knew her, Pastrana was an intelligent Indigenous Mexican woman whose life was shaped by brutal racism and cruelty. Fast-forward to February 1990 and Julia was rediscovered in a basement of the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Oslo. I feel we still have much to learn from Julia Pastrana, Barbata affirmed. Voted up. These restorative actions help to correct past injusticesbecause were also paving the way for a future where this does not happen again for all people, all of humanity, and thats why we do these things.. 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. Her manager Theodore Lent, meanwhile, also did his best to entice the public by billing her as half woman and half animal. N skal Julia Pastrana endelig begraves", "Roll up, roll up, and see the bearded lady", "Julia Pastrana, the 'extraordinary lady', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Julia_Pastrana&oldid=1140909925, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Bear Woman, The Apewoman, The Nondescript. Nell Rose (author) from England on September 02, 2012: Hi Sujeet, thanks so much for reading, nell. John Hansen from Australia (Gondwana Land) on September 10, 2015: Hi Nell, I am late reading this but I enjoyed this interesting hub. In December 1854, Julia Pastrana stepped on stage at Broadways Gothic Hall in Manhattan. you have a great point there! Boo to her husband for being greedy!! It was only following a protracted campaign that Julia was finally brought back to Mexico and buried with dignity. Anyway, he responded to the living and dead Pastrana with a sense of disgust he was titillated but also disgusted by the embalmed Pastrana. [11] Lent later found another woman with similar features, married her and changed her name from Marie Bartel to Zenora Pastrana, becoming wealthy from her exhibition. 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. While giving birth, doctors had to use forceps to deliver her baby, resulting in several severe lacerations. 1. It seems she is very self assured despite her fate and circumstances and made the best of her situation. Indeed, in the world of the freak show bearded ladies often found admirers and husbands. Torn to pieces! Sculpture of Indigenous Woman Will Replace Mexico Citys Columbus, Museum Under Fire for Showing AI Version of Vermeer Masterpiece, Hito Steyerl to Deliver 2023 Wolgin Lecture at Tyler School of Art and Architecture, NYUs Non-Tenured Faculty Rally for a Union. Then, unexpectedly, Lent had a mental breakdown and ended up in the towns local mental sanatorium. During her life, Pastrana's management arranged to have her examined by doctors and scientists, using their evaluations in advertisements to attract a larger audience. Advertisements declared her the Ape Woman or the Nondescript, a creature that could not be described. It is her persona, talents, charisma and courage she should be remembered for, and you captured those qualities beautifully here. The story of what happened to the embalmed corpses is full of intrigue, of the truth is stranger than fiction kind. In that last year, when another theft occurred, Julias corpse was stolen. [citation needed]. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. All praise to God who has created each & every creature with so much variation & uniquenessdifferent looks outside as well inner constitution wise, but then all equal of their need for love, care and generousity towards them. how I wish! According to Dr Woolf, this description probably went a long way towards many people denying Pastrana her humanity. A top police boss sent a scathing email to officers after their state force became embroiled in a series of 'drink-driving, drug use, family violence and sexual and predatory behaviour' incidents. 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. To the public eye, she did have a very strange appearance. 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. Victorian audiences, eager for circuses and freak shows, flocked to her shows, while scientists also marveled over Pastranas condition. Copyright 2019 by John Woolf. Nell Rose (author) from England on September 04, 2015: Thanks so much m abdullah, glad you liked it, nell. An excellent hub Nell, well written and thought provoking. Our Own Devices: Sean Doolittle on Writing a Thriller About Technology. Why they married we dont know for sure. Nell Rose (author) from England on September 10, 2015: Thanks Jodah, yes its a very strange story isn't it? Calvin & Hobbes creator Bill Watterson is back. I guess i am a few years behind but i am glad i stumbled onto your hubpage. I guess, some people are born with sad stories and she is definitely one of them. 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. In 1860, after giving a birth to a baby boy, Julia and her son both died. 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! By Marina Manoukian / Aug. 18, 2022 12:46 am EST. In this version, Pastrana lived with her mother until her mother passed away, after which, her uncle sold her to the circus. Pastrana's husband arranged to have her body and that of their son embalmed--their bodies continued to be displayed into the 1970's. After being stored in a basement of a hospital in Oslo, Norway, her body was finally returned to her homeland, Sinaloa, Mexico, due to the efforts of artist Laura Anderson Barbata. I will be back to read more of them. . A Jutting jaw and very swollen gums added to her appearance. I know I have been loved for myself." Unfortunately, she was dehumanized in death as she was in life. During a tour in Moscow, Pastrana gave birth to a son, with features similar to her own. A special permit was required to gain access to her remains.[1]. He ended up dying barely a day and a half after being born. Lent came in. Also, Lent knew Pastrana was a money-maker, so to avoid her changing showmen what better way to keep her than by marrying her? The Sleeping Girl of Turville: The True Story of a Girl Who fell asleep for Nine Years.. Julia Pastrana was set to perform at the Regent Gallery, at the Quadrant on Regent Street with its lodgings, homes and shops selling imported and exotic delicacies. RELATED: Queen Victorias freaky obsession, RELATED: Crucial find in Elephant Man mystery, RELATED: Killer sweating sickness that terrified a King. 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! From this family was born the idea of werewolves. We weren't allowed to go into those tents. log in. its 4.20 in the afternoon here, with grey clouds and rain! At the Regent Gallery Pastrana could be seen three times a day, for the price of 3 shillings from the stalls, 2 shillings from the area and 1 shilling from the gallery. Another poster for Pastranas 1857 exhibition contained a short section on the Root-Digger Indians to which Tribe Julias Mother belonged: These remarkable beings inhabit the Mountains, in Mexico, and live in caves with animals of different description, such as Bears, Monkeys, Squirrels, &c., between which and themselves they know no difference; their food consists of grass, roots, insects, barks of tree, &c.. thanks so much for reading, cheers nell. After moving to Cleveland with another new promoter, J.W. Recently, she was reburied . Copyright 2019 by John Woolf. What cemented the marriage? Julia Pastrana was born in 1834 into an Indigenous community in the Sierra Madre in Mexico. 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 Mahaveer Sanglikar from Pune, India on August 15, 2012: Interesting information about an unfortunate lady. is she still being studied. From the redundancy of the teeth her mouth projected, and her face had a gorilla-like appearance".[15]. Indeed, the Regent Gallery was a prime location with a proud tradition of freak shows: the Gigantic Youth from Yorkshire was shown at 50 Piccadilly in 1812, having already, allegedly, been introduced to Majesties, and Royal Family, at Windsor. Around 1817 to 1829, a Fat Boy, three years old, was on display for 1 shilling at 183 Piccadillly and, in the mid-1840s, the Human Tripod was exhibited for half a crown at the Quadrant, being declared a bipenis, as well as a trisceles with three legs. Sadly, Pastrana didnt survive either, dying a couple of days after her baby. Nell Rose (author) from England on May 19, 2012: Thanks Cathleen, glad you liked it, cheers nell. But her death did little to stop the freak show from continuing; Pastrana was embalmed, along with her baby. Barbata discovered her story in 2003, whenAmphibian Stage Productions, a theater company directed by her sister Kathleen Culebro, invited her to collaborate on designs for the New York premiere of the playThe True History of the Tragic Life and the Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, the Ugliest Woman in the World by Shaun Prendergast. Wellcome ImagesMarie Bartel, billed as the younger sister of Julia Pastrana. Realising that she would earn him lots of money, he decided to start showing her to the public, A quote from the time stated her as, The Great Freak of Nature. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. There are various stories about her early life, and little is known for certain, but some accounts . Julia Pastrana was an indigenous Mexican woman treated as a spectacle in life, and death. I am sharing.. Julia Pastrana was then transported to a private ceremony hosted by the university, at which the chancellor spoke with great respect and emotion. He renamed her Zenora Pastrana, luring in audiences with the claim that she was Julias younger sister. It is believed that Pastrana fell in love with Lent as they toured America and Europe together. The two would exhibit Julia's preserved corpse for over a decade, before Lent allegedly went insane and died in 1885, but even this is not the end of poor Julia's story. After the adulation in London, Julia began a tour In Berlin Germany, which both changed her appearances from a Freak show to Stage actress. But she had dignity. In 1864, they were being displayed around Sweden. Julia Pastrana was a talented Mexican singer and dancer of Indigenous background. The son died a few days later, and Lent then toured with the mother and son's embalmed remains. What happened in Florida is just the latest life-threatening injury in Pastrana's long career. The only parts of her body not covered in hair was the palms of her hands and the soles of her feet. Love, lust or money? This informed his sense of disgust.. Suzette Walker from Taos, NM on May 04, 2014: Wow, Nell! 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. Julia's last words on her deathbed were: "I die happy. [17] Although generically referred to as a "mummy" by some authors, her preserved body was technically not a mummy because it was not mummified. It affected her very deeply in her heart with sadness, Otto related. Lent apparently convinced doctors to let him keep the bodies which he used to sell more tickets. He noted that she or it was intelligent with a fine voice who could speak three languages. I'm glad she was finally laid to rest it was so long overdue. He reportedly treated her horribly, and she ultimately left Sanchezs custody in 1854 when she was purchased by Francisco Seplveda, who brought her to the United States. Photograph by George Wick of the embalmed Julia Pastrana (via Wellcome Collection), Pages from The Eye of the Beholder: Julia Pastranas Long Journey Home (photo of the book for Hyperallergic). ThoughtSandwiches from Reno, Nevada on August 31, 2012: This is an amazingly sad story. To defend the rights of all people is ourresponsibility. [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. He succeeded. Thanks to the efforts of Sinaloa state governor Mario Lpez Valdez, New York-based visual artist Laura Anderson Barbata, and Norwegian authorities, Julia Pastrana was finally repatriated and laid to rest in a town near the place she was said to have been born in Sinaloa. But it was not to be. Its really sad we ignore this fact & ill treat people or misbehave tyem on the basis of their outer appearence & we forget that we desrespect God this way! thanks as always, nell, Hi Peg, yes my mum used to say about the bearded ladies etc, I never saw them, and of course we never thought of how cruel it was at that time, thanks so much for reading, nell, Hi Levertis, yes it was such a sad story, if only she had been born today, it would have been so different, I hope. 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. Certainly, though, in light of his later actions, it is hard to conclude that it was affection. Perhaps a bit of all three. 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. Credit: Wellcome Collection. This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 11:05. Great ending to a sad story, Nell. Lentseems to have considered her a model freak, a house-trained monster that behaved well in front of audiences, writes Jan Bondeson in a book essay. By suppressing the truth of Julia Pastranas story, showmen could peddle the claim that she was the product of an unholy union between man and beast. I sometimes wonder: did Lents later insanity derive from some form of guilt? He also barred her from walking the streets in daylight, worried that no one would pay to see her on the stage if they caught a glimpse for free. 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. the "Ape Woman", the "Bear Woman", and "The Nondescript". The press, who were given a private view along with men of medicine, praised her very pretty whiskers, double gums, and strange set of teeth, declaring that she dresses with great taste in rich Spanish and other costumes, and after each performance comes among the audience to converse and answer questions.. Her handler or owner was named as a Mr M. Rates and he saw the potential in her the second he found her, working as a servant girl to the governor of Sinaloa Mexico. Julia's mummie disappeared over the next few decades. This not only reveals how people processed freak displays but also how the freak never engendered a similar response it depended on your outlook. Hi Suzie, thanks so much, she is such a fascinating lady, and I totally respect everything she went through, such a pity she had to live back then, thank you, nell. Its quite a story , she really had amazing courage and grace. Not much is known about Pastranas early life which was plagued by rumours: she was left to die in a forest but was rescued or that she was sold into show business.