E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Universalimagesgroup / Getty Images
Julia Pastrana, the "ugliest woman in the world," suffered from congenital hirsutism combined with gingival hyperplasia. Her manager displayed her in the U.S. as a circus attraction and the result of union between a woman and a bear.
MEXICO CITY -- The "ugliest woman in the world" was buried in her native northern Mexico on Tuesday, more than 150 years after her death and a tragic life spent exhibited as a freak of nature at circuses around the world.
Born in Mexico in 1834, Julia Pastrana suffered from hypertrichosis and gingival hyperplasia, diseases that gave her copious facial hair and a thick-set jaw. These features led to her being called a "bear woman" or "ape woman."
During the mid-1850s, Pastrana met Theodore Lent, a U.S. impresario who toured the singing and dancing Pastrana at freak shows across the United States and Europe before marrying her.
In 1860, Pastrana died in Moscow after giving birth to Lent's son, who inherited his mother's condition. The son died a few days later, and Lent then toured with the mother and son's embalmed remains. After changing hands over the ensuing decades, both bodies ended up at the University of Oslo in Norway.
Reuters
People stand next to the coffin containing the remains of Julia Pastrana in Sinaloa de Leyva on Tuesday.
"Imagine the aggression and cruelty of humankind she had to face, and how she overcame it. It's a very dignified story," said Mario Lopez, the governor of Sinaloa state who lobbied to have her remains repatriated to her home state for burial.
"When I heard about this Sinaloan woman, I said there's no way she can be left locked away in a warehouse somewhere," he said.
Crowds flocked to the small town of Sinaloa de Leyva on Tuesday to pay their respects to Pastrana, who was buried in a white coffin adorned with white roses.
"The mass was beautiful," said New York-based Mexican artist Laura Anderson Barbata, who has led a nearly decade-long campaign to have Pastrana returned to Mexico for a proper Catholic burial. "I was very moved. In all these years I've never felt so full of different emotions."
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Leave a Comment:
It took them 150 years to do this. Yeash.
They say her condition is rare and I disagree. Go to Anaheim or Santa Ana, California and you will see her offspring everywhere at every bus stop.
sittingonmybrains, we humans are capable of exploiting and treating each other badly, and it's clear to see by your comment that the inhumanity that made her life what it was in the 19th century is alive and well in 2013. Her fellow Mexicans had the decency to do something touching and kind all these years later, yet the sadness of her life, and their actions, lead you to respond as you did? Your bigotry is the only ugly thing here. "Freak" indeed.
@ Dickoless20,
Bite me. If you cared so much about your mom then why did you let her sit in a carnival side show for so long?
@ Nikolaus20 good job internet white knight
Sitting,
Thats some funny $h!t. I have been to Santa Ana and I swear I have seen her too at a bus bench.
SittingOnAFence,
What a cruel person you are! And it may speak volume to the kind of inhumanity your country and your culture (whichever one it is) perpetuates. You are probably a very unattractive man inside and outside...hence the judgment. Sometimes people who are gracious and sophisticated are beautiful inside and outside. Ugly people like you must be ugly both inside and outside.
Her country was kind enough to realize the exploitation of this woman and her pain. They want to give her a proper burial and treat her with dignity. Men like you might attract the worst karma. There are a lot of people who might be wishing men like you more heart attacks, cancer, suicides, homicides and violent death. Enjoy the horrible karmic cycle that is going to go on and on like Groundhog's Day for you.
Dr.PMS,
Oh boy you have gone off the deep end wishing me bad karma and all. Gives me the willies I tell ya. If you believe in all that voodoo crap about karma and all then you should watch what comes out of your mouth as well as it isn't anything nice by a long shot and then you will be subjected to your own wishings from others who you disagree with.
Besides, My Karma ran over your Dogma.
A spitting image of my ex-wife. Must have been a decendent. Only my ex would have never been able to wear a cross on her neck.
Don't feed the troll. People like him thrive on this kind of interaction. Best to just ignore him.
Domewars
"It took them 150 years to do this. Yeash."
They had to let the smell die down a little.
She was not as ugly as some of the whales I see in my local supermarket...
LMAO sittingonafence....:-)
Bandit and Laserdoc, doesn't say too much for either of you comparing her to your ex's...you both married them! I shuddered to think of what you both have going on...stupid is as stupid does.
If karma exists, then she deserved her fate. In fact if karma exists then every bad thing I do or say to someone is deserved and I am merely an agent of fate, doing what the universe wills. Any hurtful comment on the internet, then, is merely karma working its course. But of course, if someone deserved bad karma, and I give it to them, then how can I be held responsible? They deserved it. So, you see, karma is as fanciful as the tooth fairy or santa claus.
Born in Mexico in 1834, Julia Pastrana suffered from hypertrichosis and gingival hyperplasia, diseases that gave her copious facial hair and a thick-set jaw. These features led to her being called a "bear woman" or "ape woman."
Wow, the link between humans and apes was a Mexican? I'll be damned...creepy just thinking of an illegal ape dude going..."no speaka anglais senor, yo queiro tacobell"
Funny thing, she looks like a white dude with big 'ol jaws and a fake beard...typical republican
Despicable people are still around to make despicable comments, decency is rare these days.
Most of you posters on here are despicable. Your rude remarks personally reflect your inner soul, and if I were a friend or family of yours I would be so ashamed of you. Anyone who thinks someones misfortune is funny and foder for ugliness spewing out of their mouths are very small people indeed.
To those of you trying to "make something political" out of this beautiful story, are just plain morons, picking at tiny straws to futher show your diminished intelligence.
& Robtz...you need to look up "karma", because you haven't a clue as to what karma means. Be careful, cause what you don't know can hurt you....
Given the time her life might not have been that awful. At least she had a way to make a living and feed herself. She also was able to get married and have a child. The governor seems to be hysterical with the image she made up about this woman in her own head.
@ Nikolaus20, post 1.2
Totally agree with you only I find the mere mention of her by MSNBC appalling. The media has a responsibility to show us some dignity and respect not only after death but before. She should have been laid to rest in peace! Shame on you!
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on now people, beauty is in the eye of the beholder..................................But ugly does tend to be self evident.
Re comments by sittingonafence, there is an option on your screen to "ignore this author". This is very good advice since I speculate he will have nothing worthwhile to contribute in any future comments, either.
Back in the 1800's 99% of people lived in poverty. Most people grew their own food and if it was a bad year they starved. While this woman may have been made fun of when young when she joined the Circus freak show she would have found acceptance in that community. Freak shows were big in those days and the "Freaks" Made a lot more money than most people. I bet she made more money in her life than everybody in her village put together. The fact is her Ugliness was her saving grace, it saved her from a life of grinding poverty and she traveled the world and lived a life of relative luxury and plenty compared to most people of the time. People foolishly think she was a victim, they write she spent "a tragic life spent exhibited as a freak of nature at circuses around the world." She was not a slave she chose to be in the freak show and no doubt made a lot of money. Remember back in those days every little town had people who could play musical instruments and sing and dance. But the freak show was something special and nobody wanted to miss the show.
"Given the time her life might not have been that awful...she also was able to get married and have a child."
"People foolishly think she was a victim, they write she spent "a tragic life spent exhibited as a freak of nature at circuses around the world."
Her husband was the same "business man" who put her on exhibit. He likely married her to father a child by her, thus adding to his exhibit "material". This is evidenced by the fact that he exhibited the bodies of his wife and child, after they died. No husbandly or fatherly love or affection there, just a showman's greed and opportunism.
This situation was caused by the greed of her husband. He is the one that had the responsibility to give both her and her child a proper burial when she died but he didn't. In today's world God forbid if you are born with something like a birth mark o your face because kids can be cruel as hell.
This person must have been a very strong person to put up with the remarks she had to endure. Let's just face the fact that people can be cruel as hell.
If you doubt that she choose to be in the Freak Show just take a look at reality TV. People haven't changed that much over the years and people are still willing to make a spectacle of themselves for fame and money. Just look at Jerry Springer and all the freaks he's had on over the years. And they don't even make that much on Spinger. As far as the husbands use of his wife and child's dead bodies as exhibits. You may not like it but it was a common practice back then even doctors did it. And no doubt the freak shows she was in while alive contained jars of dead babies with birth defects and all kinds of other things and I'm sure she knew that if she where to die that she would be exhibited in much the same way. People in freak shows choose to be in Freak shows. They may not have had a lot of choices but they still CHOSE to be in the freak show. The type of people in Circuses and freak shows even back then tended to be pretty liberal and were not likely to stand by while others in the freak show are misused and abused, they tended to live communally and most times the business of the freak show was also run communally.
liberals want your money banned, rereg of Disgusted-2685310.
This ain't the greatest headline to pull in a good discussion, but the first comment's fine and so I didn't expect it to devolve into username insults this quickly.
Nikolaus20, Dr. MS, you're each suspended for a day for violating #1 of the Code of Honor...
sittingonafence, you're suspended for a week.
Not restoring any cheap derails comparing Pastrana to celebrities or residents of certain areas, which means a lot of stuff stays collapsed or gets deleted.
You go, Tyler! Thanks for the oversee. Now if you can ban Wilsonarden, he's a nuisance across the Vine.
Couldn't have been the ugliest if someone actually slept with her -__-
liberals want your money: Why don't you just behave yourself, then you won't have to worry?
At first glance I thought it was the greeter at my local Walmart.
At second glance, I'm sure.
You're free to say anything, but we don't have to put up with it.
Karma is not something that can be wished upon someone. Everyone earns their own. Wishing Karma on someone else only affects yours and not theirs.
And guess what. You picked her!
at the risk of getting banned too, i want to insert my late comment that sittingonafence has the best joke ever told. yeahhhhhhh!!!!!!
one week, totally worth it!!!!!!!!!
i wish i had thought of that!!!
now i wonder what Mr. Lent looks like, how could he?
@captn curtass,
Or in this case: Beauty is in the eye of the BEER-holder.
Tyler is a pussy
This story reminds me of the Elephant Man.
It's sad that so many would laugh at and mock another human being for a congenital condition.
There but for the grace of God go all the rest of us.
I agree with you, it immediately made me think about the Elephant Man. Also reminded me that genetically each of us has 2-5 % Neanderthal genes. They also were hairier and had heavier bones and facial features some modern people find less attractive, but they may have been blond. Anyway, somebody found them attractive enough to mate with or we wouldn't carry their genes! Anyway, it says something very nice about the Mexican people from her home state who provided the funds to bring her body home for burial. What a nice, respectful group of people they are!
Beauty comes from within, as does ugliness...
The title of this article kinda sets up the insults, don't you think? It's hilarious what was said. Except I beg to differ. I think going to Walmart after midnight could probably take home the prize for "ugly".
DrPMS, It was also funny how you berated Fence for being insulting while insulting him! hahaha! Hypocritical much? At least Fence did it right. ROFL!
As far as Karma or God goes in "punishing" people who do bad things...
In the words of the Great Bobby Deniro, "If there is a God, he has a lot to answer for."
Ty for the entertainment, folks. I'm surprised the discussion didn't turn into the usual political BS rants. haha!
I was married to her great grand daughter and compared to her Grandma is a Hottie!
"Ah yes, I remember the first time we kissed. I reached up and parted the hair down the center of her face to expose her rosey lips."
But why couldn't she just have shaved her face? Unless she was using her appearance to make a living.
She was using her appearance to make a living, she was part of a touring freak show.
Why didn't she shave her face? I think the bigger question is how did she get married??? My single sister is going to read this and cry, I know it.
Please, spare me the "parting of the hair to see her rosy lips", comment. Now I have a visual. *sobs*
Saw the headline and I thought Nancy Pelosi had finally died.
...and filled with disqusting offspring and disease.
Jwright - idiotic comment; thank goodness more of the posts have been collapsed than are available to be read. They forgot to get yours.
The title is now passed to "Lady Ga ga.
jwright. nice post, but I think from the inside most 99% of these politician are much more uglier that this poor lady and they get away with it.
Hell..guess my wife takes over this now!
Not sure if I f**king the dog or her at night!
Probably makes no difference to you either. Alert to all animal shelters; never adopt out an animal to this guy. He'll just swear he is a polygamist.
Poor Mike, your life sounds really RUFF, RUFF, RUFF!!!!
You couldn't have thought she was that ugly when you chose to marry her!!
Poor Mike your life sounds reallly ruff, ruff, RUFF!!!!!
When the lights are off you never know what the hell you're F**King..who cares reallly?.
This one ugly as hell..but god great BOOBS!
I know its easy to get angry@ morons like mike277 but consider the source. Its proof that "Cross-Breeding" is still alive & I guess not so well in dark cellars and bedrooms. Mike277, do society a favor, put one in your head.....
"I'd hit that" - Theodore Lent
Man, he must've been ONE desperate man.
More like an opportunistic man...he embalmed her & his baby and toured with their bodies. If you can't be famous be infamous????
Moochelle makes her look like a beauty queen.
I've seen your wife... You shouldn't talk. We all know you are one ugly guy too.
Matt R, you are a pig
Laurali, quit insulting pigs.
Any port in a storm!
More like a "her"icane!
Sounds like she made lemonade from the lemons she was genetically dealt. Good for her. No mother would care about the looks of their child. I hope she knew her mother's love.
Yes, it appears that she at least was able to enjoy married life and a companion, albeit I don't know what kind of relationship they had.
No matter what cards she was dealt regarding exterior appearance, she obviously had plenty of beauty on the inside. That's a lot more than than can be said of some people posting here along with what they think passes for humor. They should try imagining if this lady was a current living relative of theirs.
Ed-NavvDoc - They should try looking in a mirror... Thank you for your post.
I feel really bad for poor Mike277. His life sounds really ruff, ruff, RUFF!!!!! LOt of poor sports here collapsing posts!!!! You know some posts go from poor taste to flat out disgusting. Many posts I disagree with and some that make me downright angry or upset. BUT, we all have a right to our own opinion and getting posts collapsed doesn't stop anyone from reading them so it's just as much a reflection on those that get it collapsed as it is on the poster!!!!!!
Adiós, mi señora. Ruego por que estás seguro en los brazos de Cristo.
Amen..... Amen.
From your lips to God's ear. Amen.
And people still refuse to believe in evolution. Ugh.
So many who forget that none of us are responsible for our looks. Hard-hearted arrogant selfish judgmental lackwits. Ugh.
I read about her in a book about circus and sideshow 'Freaks"...years ago.
I am surprisingly moved when I read about the care and dignity they buried her with...white roses on her coffin.
It' is sweet closer that if in her young (died at only 26) life she found little kindness she has in death. I'm not religious but I still find it touching for people to honor her as a human being by laying her remains to rest. RIP
I can't give you more than one "vote up" though I wish I could. You said it very well, thank you.
Laurali, you have a kind heart.
Sometimes I think circus freaks are the normal ones.
Poster child for Norelco.
What is truly sad is that this woman had more dignity and charm during one hour of one day of her lifetime than the trolls that populate Newsvine have had in their entire lives.
When I think about that, I take comfort that the most beautiful people in the world are not afraid of their destiny and lives. They don't need to destroy or demean others just to make themselves feel the tiniest bit better.
Rest in peace, dear lady.
I can't disagree with you on the morons on Newsvine, but it's silly to canonize her simply because she was exhibited as a "freak". People are not automatically ennobled by suffering. For all you know, she was a horrible person, mean-spirited and cruel to those around her. Attributing "dignity and charm" to someone you had never even heard of 10 minutes ago is asinine, regardless of what anyone says about her.
Bullying is never acceptable. The targeting of this deceased woman by these trolls is an example of bullying due to her unattractive appearance. Thanks for sharing, though.
Had this been a beautiful woman they would have made crude remarks about her body. They have no filters about these issues these days. It's despicable public behaviour by young males who should know better.
Thank you Zapper, how can anybody realistically criticize a person they NEVER even me? By their looks, that is the most asisnine thing that anybody can do. And Dan maybe she was a horrible person, but would you really blame her if she was. If 150 year AFTER her death she encoutners all this nastiness, can you possibly begin to imagine what her life must have been?
Bullying of the dead? Interesting concept.
It is really silly how most of the column replies have been about 'the poor ugly thing' there are worse things than being ugly (which is a subjective observation anyways).... like being stupid. Which 98% of these replies are. Also a good portion of the people replying are probably homely by societal standards (which are ridiculous in & of themselves) and are empathizing in someway with this long-dead person because at one time someone called them ugly in grade school and they have internalized it after all these years. If your ugly 'own it' and move on..if you are pretty enjoy it now 'cause age is the great equalizer! As for Pastrana it would of been cool if they had displayed her instead of burying her, she probably would have appreciated that more considering she was an entertainer. Personally, I think she was interesting looking instead of 'ugly' and would have liked to see what she looked like in real life.
This is a horrible story, followed by some equally horrible comments.
mjolnira,
As for Pastrana it would of been cool if they had displayed her instead of burying her, she probably would have appreciated that more considering she was an entertainer. Personally, I think she was interesting looking instead of 'ugly' and would have liked to see what she looked like in real life.
Perhaps the writer of the article was a bit too subtle, but it would appear that the people of Sinaloa were going for the whole dignity and respect thing here, as opposed to providing a "cool" way for you to spend a Saturday afternoon. But don't let that dampen your spirits. You made mention of an entertainers appreciation of being put on display, and if that's true, it stands to reason that there must be at least one or two museums where you could enjoy exhibits featuring a variety of your favorite embalmed celebrities.
Also, however abstract of a concept this might appear to be to you, attractive people are also capable of great empathy. But we'll trust in what you attest to as your own personal experience; that for one who lacks an inherent sense of empathy due to real or perceived beauty, the "great equalizer" (ie: age that robs one of beauty) can impart a certain degree of empathy.
Hold on a minute- there is nothing in this article that said she had a terrible life! First her husband met her some where(does not say where ) where she was signing and dancing. Married her and they made money off of her condition or talents and had a child together. So why is everyone pitying her? There is a new show coming on TV all about freaks and their lives. Most would say they are exploited but they may not feel that way. in fact many of them have turned themselves in to freaks. I saw a woman not to long ago, hairy chest and face, husband, couple of kids, she was fine an happy. Just because they were in a show does not mean we have to feel sorry for them. And as for their bodies. I am sure they don't care much-they are dead now and on to a better place based on her beliefs.
Every generation has them, just think back to the 60's or 80's . One way or another, every generation has people who want to be different than the last generation.
She died at 26 and her child died a few days after birth, I'd say that was a pretty sad life. Plus being in the spotlight as being a "bearwoman" or "apewoman" and paraded around as the "ugliest woman on earth". I guess that wouldn't be degrading or hurtful? Rest in Peace, I'm so glad they took such care in your burial.
Penny- See that is where we have issues today- There is no comments from the women on how she lived her live or if she enjoyed it. We look at things through our eyes and not theirs. She may have been totally happy to find a husband, work together with him and possibly other people of various non conformity's. Just think about. may be as a child she was lonely and thought she was the only one like her. But latter on in life found love,Something she probably thought would never happen to her, probably met others that she could relate to, support her and protect her as a community and then to become preganant and have a baby for most,is a joy in itself. You may think it was sad by your standards but by hers-it may have been a wonderful life. Yes she died at 26 but back in those days many did not survive past 40 due to illness and disease.
It wouldn't be degrading or hurtful if it was her own choice. The part I find disgusting is that her husband displayed her (and their son's) remains for many years after their deaths. That is just wrong.
Liberals - you are an idiot - trying to be "humorous" and take off on the First Lady is despicable. But, I guess your moral compass, which is Zero, propelled you to post what you did. Sadly, there are more idiots who think you're funny.
Liberals have YOU looked in the mirror lately? I don't think you like what you see very much since you have too belittle other people to make yourself feel good.
Well, in the picture, she's dressed pretty nice, got some nice jewelry.......maybe at the end of the day, after all those people calling her bearwoman & such, she consoled herself w/ her jewelry box, her closet, her dressing room (I'd imagine pretty nice, given that she was such a great attraction)......she probably had a nicer & easier life than 95% of the yokels who came to gape at her & the others. I suspect in the end, Julie there had the last laugh.
As to being perserved & being shown after death.....she was in show business. Maybe the idea of being famous even after dying was appealing to her.
Given the lack of success many parents have trying to raise their kids, just imagine the bullying she'd suffer. And the kids would be even worse.
Great story.And it is also great on the part of Mexico for claiming her remains back for burial in her native country.
Yeah, look at the "kids" on this post. School yard type bullies who don't like themselves.
QUOTE: "Lent then toured with the mother and son's embalmed remains."
Redefining the term "depths of depravity". Which one of the three was the monster? Mr. Lent wins by a mile.
Yeah, I found that part to be despicable.
Jeeez, I wonder what the ugliest man looks like
I think he bored the hell out of the entire nation last night.
Got my vote on that one. Turned the channel last night, scared the hell out of me
hard to say what the ugliest man looks/ looked like - but probably "the elephant man" came close. (of course, the reichwingnutsjobs have their own innate "ugliness")
dam bob my coffee went down the wrong pipe on that one. lmfao-good one!!
I can tell you who the guy is, its Moochelle's hubby....Ocrapa!!
No Jamie, it's you
I would love to see what you guys look like. Most people who called other people ugly don't get a second look.
Every time I see an article about a human anomaly like this woman, it just confirms in my mind that many of the various species of humanity which some scientists say became extinct, actually became assimilated into the human race that exists today. Types mated with other types and where there was the ability to procreate, then the genes became mixed in the offspring and through the years, every so often, you see one of these old genes become prominent as in this woman.
I agree and ever so often a liberal is born that actually has the ability to use logic and reason....and then that lib becomes a conservative.
All viners take note, this posters ignorance is not contagious, never was, never will be.
every so often along comes a lib who flat out tells the "konservatif" to STFU, too
Dealing with the topic, though - genetic issues appear as random events. Hemophilia, eg - the bleeding disease is outwardly not visible, resulting from 2 carriers mating. IF I had to go out on a limb, I'd say that perhaps this was a "neanderthal" gene that manifested itself.
i swear i saw her in walmart the other day
Golly, chris! Don't be like Larry the Cable Guy and talk smack about pretend sisters. Let the real rednecks do that.
It is amazing what is reported when there is nothing to report on.
This women most likely was a good and kind person but society shut her out. Sad she went through all the ridicule because she was born this way and people still in this day and age target others that are different. May you finally rest in piece.
Would that be one "piece" or two "piece". peace
Some people win(Penelope Cruz, Sarah Palin),.... some people lose(Julia Pastrana, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton)
The losers keep the plastic surgery industry ALIVE AND WELL.
I'm sorry, I don't judge people on the way they look but rather their character. But Sarah Palin? Are you blind?
Kind of reminds me of somebody we have living in the white house. Maybe she's a decendent!
Bo? (the DOG)
Now may her soul rest in peace.