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Brenda and Orquidea are back with a brand new season! In this episode we explain why we’re calling them sacred plants instead of “drugs,” what sets them apart from medicinal plants (hint: maybe its supernatural), and why ritual and cultural context matter so much.

We kick off the season with the incredible coca leaf, a sacred plant the Andean people have used for at least 8,000 years! We cover where it grows, how it works chemically, and how it’s been used in healing and divination rituals. Plus, the haunting origin story of Kuka, a princess whose body became the coca plant, and why the coca leaf is not the same as cocaine. We end with the politics behind its ban and the push to reclassify it as a sacred plant. So excited to be back!  Sources:  A Growing Culture. (2024, November 28). The coca leaf. Offshoot. https://agrowingculture.substack.com/p/the-coca-leaf Earthstoriez. (n.d.). Bolivia | Peru: The legend of Mama Coca. https://earthstoriez.com/bolivia-peru-legend-folklore-mama-coca Fajardo M., Q. N. (2022). The tradition of coca leaf use for ancestral Indigenous people in Latin-America: Deconstructing the coca imaginary. Global History Dialogues. https://globalhistorydialogues.org/stories/the-tradition-of-coca-leaf-use-for-ancestral-indigenous-people-in-latin-america Goldstein, R. (2022). Life in traffic: Riddling field notes on the political economy of “sex” and nature. Cultural Anthropology, 37(2), 251–285. https://doi.org/10.14506/ca37.2.08 Inkaterra. (2019, January 25). The ancient ritual of coca leaf reading in the Andes. Inkaterra Blog. https://www.inkaterra.com/blog/coca-leaf-reading/ Mejía Zapata, G. A. (2025). Mama Coca chronicles: Navigating ancestral heritage and future narratives. Journal of Futures Studies, 30(1), 27–48. https://doi.org/10.6531/JFS.202509_30(1).0003 Przytomska, A. (2024). Embedded and borrowed subjectivity in the shamanic practices among Quechua from the Central Andes, Peru. Etnografia. Praktyki, Teorie, Doświadczenia, 10, 147–166. https://doi.org/10.26881/etno.2024.10.08 Quechuas Expeditions. (2023, February 27). The sacred coca leaf of the Incas. https://www.quechuasexpeditions.com/the-sacred-coca-leaf-of-the-incas/ Soliz, C., & Barragán, R. (Eds.). (2024). The struggle for natural resources: Findings from Bolivian history. University of New Mexico Press. Spencer, T., Westby, S., Massey, M., & Haddox, T. (n.d.). History and uses of the coca leaf. Yachana. https://www.yachana.org/teaching/students/webpages/andean2k/cocaine/history.html

In our final episode of the season we interview Palmira Muniz, an award-winning filmmaker, writer, media consultant, creative producer, and comedian who brings a unique lens to her work as a fat, queer, Afro-Boricua storyteller from Anaheim, CA, with roots in the Bronx.

This season we have focused on Latinas in horror the ways they're stereotyped but also how they embody monstrousness. In this episode we talk about those behind the cameras!

Who doesn't love the norm breaking weirdos known as the Addams Family? In this episode we talk about them but specifically their dark and broody daughter, Wednesday!

Who doesn't love a sexy vampire? In this episode we talk about one of the most common tropes of Latinas in the media - the vampire!

In this episode we focus on the final girl! One of the most common horror tropes.

We are back! After a very long break we have decided to come back with a 6 episode season. This season focuses on the relationship of Latines and horror.

Hello! We are announcing that we are taking a bit of an extended break. Both of us have been quite busy lately (ugh responsibilities) and are tired. We have been working on this awesome project for a few years now but felt we were losing some steam. This break is meant to rejuvenate us! We love talking about monsters and would like to continue in the future. Thank you to everyone who has listened to us! We seriously appreciate every single listener and supporter of this podcast! We still cannot believe people were interested in what we had to say. Special shout out to all of our Patreon supporters, who have really been amazing to us. We will keep you posted on our social media channels and Brenda will continue to post on those once in a while. Hasta luego Monstras!

In 1996 the future of the townspeople of Varginha, Brazil changed when a group of young girls claimed to have witnessed a very stinky alien! Brenda dives into the story of the supposed alien crash that occurred in Varginha and turned the town into the Roswell of Latin America. Merry Christmas and hopefully you all avoided a visit from an alien! _____________________________________________________ As a reminder this episode was recorded earlier in the year and comes from our patreon only series Monstras After Dark. Facebook - Website - Instagram - Patreon - TikTok - Store

In the Andes there is a legend of a man, usually a gringo, who wanders the streets at night looking for its next meal. He attacks solitary travelers with a knife dismembering them and consuming their fat for sustenance. In this episode Orquidea describes the eerie legend of the Pishtaco and dissects its origins. ___________________________________________________________ As a reminder this episode was recorded earlier in the year and comes from our Patreon only series Monstras After Dark. Facebook - Website - Instagram - Patreon - TikTok - Store

Thousands of years ago the Maya sacrificed several adults and children in a cave. Left where their bodies fell, archaeologists have put together how they all died and why... This episode is all about caves! Brenda talks about why she hates and loves caves and why this one in particular is so fascinating.  Reminder this episode is from our patreon series, which was recorded earlier this year. We also chose to release two of Brenda's in a row but usually we do switch off!

We are on a 3 month break! But during that break we will be publishing some of our Monstras After Dark episodes, which are normally exclusive to our Patreon subscribers. If you enjoy this extra content please consider subscribing. ______________ In this episode of Monstras After Dark Brenda explores the different stories that exist about vagina dentata in Latin America. Beware: Orquidea is blushing throughout the episode. Also we talk a lot about vaginas and man eating vaginas, so this is definitely a PG-13 episode! Facebook - Website - Instagram - Patreon - TikTok - Store

Legends of small creatures that roam the forest have persisted amongst various cultures for centuries. In Latin America these small creatures are called Duendes and they are often described as mysterious and mischievous creatures. With their pointy ears, small stature and backwards feet they can be pretty non-threatening, at least until you hear some of the stories....   TW: Kidnapping, stalking and a small mention of SA in regards to the legend of the Sisimite   Music by Patrick Mullens Twitter - Facebook - Website - Instagram - Patreon - TikTok - Store Show Notes: Good, Evil or Mischievous: The Legend of Latin America's Duende Aluxes and Chaneques: mythological creatures from Mexico  El Duende Mythological Creature in El Salvador

When most people hear the word witch or think about witchcraft they picture large pots of unknown substances brewing, pointy hats and brooms. But in Latin America witchcraft, or brujeria, comes in all sorts of beautiful and terrifying manners. Think chocolate potions and dried herbs.  We tackle some of the different types of brujeria in Latin America, but this episode is just the tip of the iceberg...   TW: mutilation, child kidnapping, domestic violence   Music by Patrick Mullens Twitter - Facebook - Website - Instagram - Patreon - TikTok Show Notes: El Chocolate, una pocima de brujas Young Brujas Rooting Contemporary Latinx Witchcraft Narratives in the Latin American Past Were There Witch hunts in South America? Into the Cave of Chiles Witches