Legend has it that a little girl drowned on this island back in the 1950s. Don Julian Santana decided to live on the island and so he put up some toy dolls to appease the wandering spirit of the little girl.
Santana was also a farmer. He would trade some of his produce for additional dolls, in whatever condition they were found. Santana would then tie them onto trees, or place them on the ground, or put them in little arrangements.
However, no matter how new the dolls were initially, the harsh winds and strong rains made them all battered and weathered. Santana liked to dress them up, add sunglasses or headdresses.
Santana welcomed tourists and other visitors to his island of dolls. He would proudly give visitors a tour and charge a small fee to take pictures.
Santana died in 2001. He was reportedly found in the water in the exact spot where the little girl had initially drowned.
The dolls are still there in Xochimilco - thousands of them. They patiently wait for people to come and visit, then silently stare at any visitors who happen by.Maybe one day I'll take a trip down to the Teshuilo Lake. But, then again, I doubt I could convince my wife that we should go to La Isla de las Munecas. Maybe I'll just tell her it translates to "The Island of Arts and Crafts."
