Maritxu (María) Erlantz Guller [a] ( Isaba, Navarre 1912 [1] – San Sebastian, 1993 [2]), also known as the " sorgin ona" or white witch of Ulia, was a teacher, tarot reader and fortune teller who supposedly had paranormal powers. [3]
Maritxu studied to become a teacher in Pamplona and subsequently worked as a teacher in Irañeta during the Spanish Civil War. [4] [5] On 8 October 1938 she married a Swiss man named Giovanni Guller, who encouraged her to deepen her studies in parapsychology. [1] [6] [5] The couple moved to San Sebastian in 1952 and settled in a baserri in Mount Ulia. [1] [6]
Maritxu created various Tarot decks which were published by Fournier including El Gran Tarot Esoterico in 1976 (with illustrations by Luis Pena Longa) along with its instruction manual. [7] [8] [9] This deck features classic Tarot motifs as well as variations inspired by French astrologer and tarot reader Eudes Picard. [8] Martitxu also created two Basque themed decks; the Euskal Tarot Mitika or Basque Mythical Tarot in 1982 (with illustrations by Angel Elvira which were inspired by Basque mythology) [9] and the Tarot de Euskal Herria in 1991 (with illustrations by Alfredo Fermín Cemillán "Mintxo"), which she dedicated "to all women, to help them interpret the Tarot wisely." [10]
In addition to her Tarot decks, Maritxu created over 36,000 grimoires for divination. [1]
A children's park is named after her in San Sebastian, where she lived for many years. [11]
Maritxu (María) Erlantz Guller [a] ( Isaba, Navarre 1912 [1] – San Sebastian, 1993 [2]), also known as the " sorgin ona" or white witch of Ulia, was a teacher, tarot reader and fortune teller who supposedly had paranormal powers. [3]
Maritxu studied to become a teacher in Pamplona and subsequently worked as a teacher in Irañeta during the Spanish Civil War. [4] [5] On 8 October 1938 she married a Swiss man named Giovanni Guller, who encouraged her to deepen her studies in parapsychology. [1] [6] [5] The couple moved to San Sebastian in 1952 and settled in a baserri in Mount Ulia. [1] [6]
Maritxu created various Tarot decks which were published by Fournier including El Gran Tarot Esoterico in 1976 (with illustrations by Luis Pena Longa) along with its instruction manual. [7] [8] [9] This deck features classic Tarot motifs as well as variations inspired by French astrologer and tarot reader Eudes Picard. [8] Martitxu also created two Basque themed decks; the Euskal Tarot Mitika or Basque Mythical Tarot in 1982 (with illustrations by Angel Elvira which were inspired by Basque mythology) [9] and the Tarot de Euskal Herria in 1991 (with illustrations by Alfredo Fermín Cemillán "Mintxo"), which she dedicated "to all women, to help them interpret the Tarot wisely." [10]
In addition to her Tarot decks, Maritxu created over 36,000 grimoires for divination. [1]
A children's park is named after her in San Sebastian, where she lived for many years. [11]