These strange-colored monsters or alebrijes were invented by Pedro Linares, who saw them in a dream when he was 30, and very sick.

While he lay in bed unconscious, he dreamed of a strange and different place. A forest appeared with trees, animals, clouds, blue sky, rocks and other things, and where all the animals had turned into strange, unknown creatures.

He saw a donkey with butterfly’s wings, a rooster with an eagle’s head and others that all shouted the word, Alebrijes. The animals began to shout louder and louder, Alebrijes, Alebrijes, Alebrijes!

The sound was terrible and he wanted to get away. A man told him that it still wasn’t time for him to be there and that he would have to start walking in order to find the exit. Later, he came across a narrow window, climbed through, and suddenly awoke.

When Pedro was able to get out of bed, he began to remember his dream and wanted his family and other people to see these animals. So, he took some paper and began to mold the figures he had seen; he then painted them like those he saw in his dream.

Now, Miguel Linares (his son), Paula Garcia (daughter in law), Ricardo Linares and Miguel Linares (grandson) have continued the tradition of making Alebrijes.

There are thousands of Alebrijes that have been molded from papier mache, painted with bright colors and covered with mysterious drawings.