Brazilian mythology is the subset of Brazilian folklore with cultural elements of diverse origin found in Brazil, comprising folk tales, traditions, characters and beliefs regarding places, people, and entities. The category was originally restricted to indigenous elements, but has been extended to include:
MedievalIberictraditions brought by the Portuguesesettlers, some of which are forgotten or very diminished in Portugal itself; as well as other European nations folklore, such as Italy, Germany and Poland.
African traditions brought by Africans to Brazil as slaves during the colonial times—including their religious beliefs;
Elements originated in Brazil by the contact of the three different traditions;
Contemporary elements that are re-elaborations of old traditions.
Because Brazil is a melting pot of cultures, many elements of Brazilian mythology are shared by the traditions of other countries, especially its South American neighbors and Portugal.
This article contains embedded lists that may be poorly defined, unverified or indiscriminate. Please help this article to clean it up so that it meets Wikipedia's quality standards. Where appropriate, incorporate items into the main body of the article.(September 2021)
Alemoa – the ghost of a blond (German-like) woman that is connected to the island of Fernando de Noronha. She is said to seduce imprudent men and carry them to death. Alema is a nonstandard way of pronouncing "alemã" ("German female" in Portuguese).
Anhangá – A spirit that often protects animals (especially the females and young ones) and tends to appear as a white deer with red eyes. Often mistaken for Anhanguera due to the words being similar, however, the Anhinga is not considered a devil, though it was feared. One legend involves an indigenous person who tortured a young fawn so the screams would attract the mother. When she came near, he killed her just to realize that the Anhanga had used an illusion and he had just killed his own mother.
Bernunça – a strange beast of the folk tales of the state of Santa Catarina.
Besta-fera – a centaur-like creature, thought to be the Devil. The name can be roughly translated as "Feral Beast".
Boi-Bumbá is also called Bumba Meu Boi (described below).
Boitatá – a giant snake with bull horns and enormous fiery eyes that crawls over the open fields at night. Sometimes described as a giant fiery snake. Looking at its eyes blinds people.
Boiúna ("The Black Snake") – a gigantic, nocturnal serpent that is the personification of the Amazonian rivers and is feared by many anglers who live in that area. As part of the TV show, The River is a sacred area and no one is to enter.
Boto – an Amazon river dolphinencantado that shapeshifts into a handsome man to seduce young women (Amazon). After impregnating them, he would abandon the woman and never return to her village with the same disguise again. This tale was possibly created by single mothers in an attempt to explain away to fatherless children who their fathers were.
Bumba-meu-Boi – an ox that is part of a folk tale celebrated with dance and music by the peoples of the Brazilian north (states of Maranhão and Amazonas, where it is known as Boi-Bumbá).
Cabeça Satânica – The wandering head is a widespread Brazilian ghost story of European origin. Appears to people that wander alone in the night as a stranger with its back turned to the victim. Its body melts to the ground and only the head with long hair, wide eyes, and a large mischievous smile remains, hopping or rolling towards the victim. Its name means "Satanic Head" or "Satan's Head".
Caipora – jungle spirits that lived in trees but came out at night to haunt those who were astray.
Capelobo – A hybrid weird creature that has the head of a anteater, the torso of a man, and the hindquarters of a goat, This creature brutally attacks and kills his victims, sucking their brains.
Ci – Tupian primeval goddess (the name means simply "mother").
Corpo-Seco ("The Dried-Corpse") – a man so evil that the earth would not rot its flesh and the devil would return his soul. He was condemned to wander fruitlessly the world until the judgment day.
Cuca – menacing, supernatural, old hag that attacks and tortures small children who do not go to bed early. Her name comes from a very old and obsolete Portuguese word for "skull" or "cruel".
Curupira – a (male) jungle genie/ Demon of the Forest that protects the animals and the trees of the forests. It has red hair with the capacity to ignite and turn into fire and backward feet to confuse hunters. Hates hunters and lumberjacks. It was the first figure in the history of folklore to be documented in Brazil.[1]
Encantado ("The Charmed") – someone who is magically trapped in another dimension, living an eternal, but hapless life (usually a punishment for pursuing riches at any cost or doing some wrong).
Homem do Saco (literally, "Sack Man" or "Bag Man") – a mid-aged or elder drifter who visits households in search of naughty young children for him to carry away with him, in his sack or bag. When the Bag Man happens to knock at a house whose residents have a naughty kid that they no longer want, these parents give the Bag Man their kid, which he puts up in his sack and carries away forever. This story was told to children as a way to make them behave and respect their parents, under the fear of being given away to the Bag Man if they didn't act well.
Iara – a type of freshwater mermaid (Central-West, Southeast, North).
M'Boi – Serpentine god of the river. Responsible for the legend of Iguazu Falls, the tragic story of Tarobá and Naipi, a man who fell in love with a woman consecrated to M'Boi. Iguazu Falls are one of the great wonders of the world at the corner of Brazil and Argentina.
Maní – the name of an indigenous girl with a very fair complexion. The legend is connected to Manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America.
Mãe-do-Ouro – a powerful and lethal being that protects gold ores. Nobody has survived seeing it, so no description exists. It is usually seen from afar as a globe of fire that flies from mountain to mountain (Southeast). It can be roughly translated as "Mother of Gold" and it is possibly a popular attempt to explain the ball lightning phenomenon.
Mapinguari – a bipedal, hairy, one-eyed giant that wanders the Amazon jungle. Considered the Brazilian version of the Yeti or the last memory of the now extinct giant sloths passed through generations by the native peoples of Brazil.
Matinta Pereira – a malevolent hag with supernatural powers whose legend is very well known in the state of Pará.
Moura Encantada ("Enchanted Moura") – a beautiful moura shapeshifted into a hideous snake to guard an immense treasure. One who breaks the spell will have the gold and marry the maiden.
Muiraquitã – a greenish amulet of supernatural qualities connected to the legend of the Icamiabas, the Brazilian Amazons.
Mula sem Cabeça (literally "Headless Mule") – shape taken by the woman accursed for having sex with a priest (Southeast, Northeast, Central-West, South).
Mulher de Branco – "Lady in White", also "Woman in White": the most widespread type of ghost seen in Brazil. Urban legend equivalent of the MexicanLa Llorona.
Negrinho do Pastoreio – a slave boy that died an awful death (similar to Candyman's) for not keeping his owner's horses. He helps people who are looking for lost things. Roughly translated as "Black Boy of Farm" or "The Little Black Farmer".
Pisadeira ("The Stomper") – An old witch who steps on people's bellies at night, leaving them breathless. It usually appears when people go to bed on a full stomach, and is associated with sleep paralysis.
Romãozinho – an evil boy who bears the burden of immortality, cursed by his own dying mother.
Saci Pererê – a mischievous single-legged black elf-like creature who is blamed as the culprit of anything that goes wrong at a farm (Central-West, Southeast). The Saci is known as a trickster and usually appears in farms inside wind swirls. If someone steals its red cap he'll exchange it for a favor.
Vitória Régia – tells the story of the origin of the vitória-régia, the giant water lily, in which a Tupi-Guarani young woman named Naiá falls into a lake and drowns after trying to kiss the reflection of the moon-goddess Jasy, which often turns beautiful virgin girls into stars to be her companions. Moved by the incident, the Moon then transforms her into a different kind of star, a giant water lily, also known as the "Star of the Waters."
Further readingEdit
Alcoforado, Doralice Fernandes Xavier. "O conto mítico de Apuleio no imaginário baiano". In: ELO N. 13/14 (2007-2008): 9-20. ISSN 0873-0547. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/1685 (in Portuguese).
Nascimento, Bráulio do. Catálogo do Conto Popular Brasileiro. Rio de Janeiro: UNESCO / IBECC / Tempo Brasileiro, 2005. 236 pp.
Guarani mythology, the native Guarani peoples live in Paraguay and parts of the surrounding areas of Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia.
ReferencesEdit
^"Curupira - Brazilian Folklore". Kurupira.net. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
October 24, 2023
brazilian, mythology, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, a. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Brazilian mythology news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject Please help improve the article by providing more context for the reader February 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Brazilian mythology is the subset of Brazilian folklore with cultural elements of diverse origin found in Brazil comprising folk tales traditions characters and beliefs regarding places people and entities The category was originally restricted to indigenous elements but has been extended to include Medieval Iberic traditions brought by the Portuguese settlers some of which are forgotten or very diminished in Portugal itself as well as other European nations folklore such as Italy Germany and Poland African traditions brought by Africans to Brazil as slaves during the colonial times including their religious beliefs Elements originated in Brazil by the contact of the three different traditions Contemporary elements that are re elaborations of old traditions Because Brazil is a melting pot of cultures many elements of Brazilian mythology are shared by the traditions of other countries especially its South American neighbors and Portugal Contents 1 Prominent figures 2 Further reading 3 See also 4 ReferencesProminent figures EditThis article contains embedded lists that may be poorly defined unverified or indiscriminate Please help this article to clean it up so that it meets Wikipedia s quality standards Where appropriate incorporate items into the main body of the article September 2021 Alemoa the ghost of a blond German like woman that is connected to the island of Fernando de Noronha She is said to seduce imprudent men and carry them to death Alema is a nonstandard way of pronouncing alema German female in Portuguese Anhanga A spirit that often protects animals especially the females and young ones and tends to appear as a white deer with red eyes Often mistaken for Anhanguera due to the words being similar however the Anhinga is not considered a devil though it was feared One legend involves an indigenous person who tortured a young fawn so the screams would attract the mother When she came near he killed her just to realize that the Anhanga had used an illusion and he had just killed his own mother Anhanguera Name used by the early Jesuit missionaires as an equivalent of the Devil Bernunca a strange beast of the folk tales of the state of Santa Catarina Besta fera a centaur like creature thought to be the Devil The name can be roughly translated as Feral Beast Boi Bumba is also called Bumba Meu Boi described below Boitata a giant snake with bull horns and enormous fiery eyes that crawls over the open fields at night Sometimes described as a giant fiery snake Looking at its eyes blinds people Boiuna The Black Snake a gigantic nocturnal serpent that is the personification of the Amazonian rivers and is feared by many anglers who live in that area As part of the TV show The River is a sacred area and no one is to enter Boto an Amazon river dolphin encantado that shapeshifts into a handsome man to seduce young women Amazon After impregnating them he would abandon the woman and never return to her village with the same disguise again This tale was possibly created by single mothers in an attempt to explain away to fatherless children who their fathers were Bumba meu Boi an ox that is part of a folk tale celebrated with dance and music by the peoples of the Brazilian north states of Maranhao and Amazonas where it is known as Boi Bumba Cabeca Satanica The wandering head is a widespread Brazilian ghost story of European origin Appears to people that wander alone in the night as a stranger with its back turned to the victim Its body melts to the ground and only the head with long hair wide eyes and a large mischievous smile remains hopping or rolling towards the victim Its name means Satanic Head or Satan s Head Caipora jungle spirits that lived in trees but came out at night to haunt those who were astray Capelobo A hybrid weird creature that has the head of a anteater the torso of a man and the hindquarters of a goat This creature brutally attacks and kills his victims sucking their brains Ci Tupian primeval goddess the name means simply mother Cobra Grande The Big Snake see Boiuna Corpo Seco The Dried Corpse a man so evil that the earth would not rot its flesh and the devil would return his soul He was condemned to wander fruitlessly the world until the judgment day Cuca menacing supernatural old hag that attacks and tortures small children who do not go to bed early Her name comes from a very old and obsolete Portuguese word for skull or cruel Curupira a male jungle genie Demon of the Forest that protects the animals and the trees of the forests It has red hair with the capacity to ignite and turn into fire and backward feet to confuse hunters Hates hunters and lumberjacks It was the first figure in the history of folklore to be documented in Brazil 1 Encantado The Charmed someone who is magically trapped in another dimension living an eternal but hapless life usually a punishment for pursuing riches at any cost or doing some wrong Homem do Saco literally Sack Man or Bag Man a mid aged or elder drifter who visits households in search of naughty young children for him to carry away with him in his sack or bag When the Bag Man happens to knock at a house whose residents have a naughty kid that they no longer want these parents give the Bag Man their kid which he puts up in his sack and carries away forever This story was told to children as a way to make them behave and respect their parents under the fear of being given away to the Bag Man if they didn t act well Iara a type of freshwater mermaid Central West Southeast North Iemanja the Afro Brazilian sea goddess worshiped in umbanda candomble and another Afro Brazilian religions Jurupari a god limited to worship by men considered a devil by the Jesuits Lobisomem the Brazilian version of the werewolf M Boi Serpentine god of the river Responsible for the legend of Iguazu Falls the tragic story of Taroba and Naipi a man who fell in love with a woman consecrated to M Boi Iguazu Falls are one of the great wonders of the world at the corner of Brazil and Argentina Mani the name of an indigenous girl with a very fair complexion The legend is connected to Manioc a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America Mae do Ouro a powerful and lethal being that protects gold ores Nobody has survived seeing it so no description exists It is usually seen from afar as a globe of fire that flies from mountain to mountain Southeast It can be roughly translated as Mother of Gold and it is possibly a popular attempt to explain the ball lightning phenomenon Mapinguari a bipedal hairy one eyed giant that wanders the Amazon jungle Considered the Brazilian version of the Yeti or the last memory of the now extinct giant sloths passed through generations by the native peoples of Brazil Matinta Pereira a malevolent hag with supernatural powers whose legend is very well known in the state of Para Moura Encantada Enchanted Moura a beautiful moura shapeshifted into a hideous snake to guard an immense treasure One who breaks the spell will have the gold and marry the maiden Muiraquita a greenish amulet of supernatural qualities connected to the legend of the Icamiabas the Brazilian Amazons Mula sem Cabeca literally Headless Mule shape taken by the woman accursed for having sex with a priest Southeast Northeast Central West South Mulher de Branco Lady in White also Woman in White the most widespread type of ghost seen in Brazil Urban legend equivalent of the Mexican La Llorona Negrinho do Pastoreio a slave boy that died an awful death similar to Candyman s for not keeping his owner s horses He helps people who are looking for lost things Roughly translated as Black Boy of Farm or The Little Black Farmer Pisadeira The Stomper An old witch who steps on people s bellies at night leaving them breathless It usually appears when people go to bed on a full stomach and is associated with sleep paralysis Romaozinho an evil boy who bears the burden of immortality cursed by his own dying mother Saci Perere a mischievous single legged black elf like creature who is blamed as the culprit of anything that goes wrong at a farm Central West Southeast The Saci is known as a trickster and usually appears in farms inside wind swirls If someone steals its red cap he ll exchange it for a favor Uaica Vitoria Regia tells the story of the origin of the vitoria regia the giant water lily in which a Tupi Guarani young woman named Naia falls into a lake and drowns after trying to kiss the reflection of the moon goddess Jasy which often turns beautiful virgin girls into stars to be her companions Moved by the incident the Moon then transforms her into a different kind of star a giant water lily also known as the Star of the Waters Further reading EditAlcoforado Doralice Fernandes Xavier O conto mitico de Apuleio no imaginario baiano In ELO N 13 14 2007 2008 9 20 ISSN 0873 0547 http hdl handle net 10400 1 1685 in Portuguese Nascimento Braulio do Catalogo do Conto Popular Brasileiro Rio de Janeiro UNESCO IBECC Tempo Brasileiro 2005 236 pp See also EditWest African mythology Luis da Camara Cascudo Brazilian folklorist Guarani mythology the native Guarani peoples live in Paraguay and parts of the surrounding areas of Argentina Brazil and Bolivia References Edit Curupira Brazilian Folklore Kurupira net Retrieved 19 June 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brazilian mythology amp oldid 1177963663, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
