The Giant Water Lily or Vitória Régia legend (Portuguese: Lenda da vitória-régia) is an origin story among the Tupi-Guarani indigenous people of Brazil.
Per the legend, an indigenous tribe believed that the moon was the goddess Jaci, who came at night and kissed and lit up the faces of the most beautiful virgins in the village, the cunhantãs-moças. When the moon hid behind the mountain, she would take girls with her and turn them into stars.[1]
A beautiful virgin named Naiá dreamed of becoming a star, despite warnings that girls taken by Jaci lost their blood and flesh in becoming stars. Naiá roamed the mountains seeking out the moon each night, so obsessed she did not sleep or eat. While resting on the edge of the lake, she saw the moon's reflection on the water, and desperately seeking the goddess, dove into the water and drowned. To reward her for this sacrifice, Jaci turned her into a star different from all the others, the "star of the waters", which is the giant water lily (Victoria amazonica) plant.[2]
A number of versions of the legend exist, based on a girl attempting to unite with the moon.[3]
Referencesedit
^Lilo Linke (1963). People of the Amazon. London: Robert Hale. p. 144. OCLC 1360615.
^Christopher Wills (28 March 2013). Green Equilibrium: The vital balance of humans and nature. OUP Oxford. pp. 23–. ISBN978-0-19-165419-0.
^Angelita Faleiro. Desbravando nosso folclore. biblioteca24horas. pp. 171–. ISBN978-85-7893-573-3.
Further readingedit
Maria Candelária Posada, ed. (1985). Contos Populares para Crianças da América Latina (in Portuguese) (2nd ed.). São Paulo: Editora Ática. ISBN9788508005895.
External linksedit
The Vitória Régia Legend
Vitória Régia: Giant Waterlilly in the Amazon
A Lenda da Vitória Régia
January 01, 1970
giant, water, lily, legend, giant, water, lily, vitória, régia, legend, portuguese, lenda, vitória, régia, origin, story, among, tupi, guarani, indigenous, people, brazil, water, lilly, são, paulocontents, plot, references, further, reading, external, linksplo. The Giant Water Lily or Vitoria Regia legend Portuguese Lenda da vitoria regia is an origin story among the Tupi Guarani indigenous people of Brazil Water Lilly in Sao PauloContents 1 Plot 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External linksPlot editPer the legend an indigenous tribe believed that the moon was the goddess Jaci who came at night and kissed and lit up the faces of the most beautiful virgins in the village the cunhantas mocas When the moon hid behind the mountain she would take girls with her and turn them into stars 1 A beautiful virgin named Naia dreamed of becoming a star despite warnings that girls taken by Jaci lost their blood and flesh in becoming stars Naia roamed the mountains seeking out the moon each night so obsessed she did not sleep or eat While resting on the edge of the lake she saw the moon s reflection on the water and desperately seeking the goddess dove into the water and drowned To reward her for this sacrifice Jaci turned her into a star different from all the others the star of the waters which is the giant water lily Victoria amazonica plant 2 A number of versions of the legend exist based on a girl attempting to unite with the moon 3 References edit Lilo Linke 1963 People of the Amazon London Robert Hale p 144 OCLC 1360615 Christopher Wills 28 March 2013 Green Equilibrium The vital balance of humans and nature OUP Oxford pp 23 ISBN 978 0 19 165419 0 Angelita Faleiro Desbravando nosso folclore biblioteca24horas pp 171 ISBN 978 85 7893 573 3 Further reading editMaria Candelaria Posada ed 1985 Contos Populares para Criancas da America Latina in Portuguese 2nd ed Sao Paulo Editora Atica ISBN 9788508005895 External links editThe Vitoria Regia Legend Vitoria Regia Giant Waterlilly in the Amazon A Lenda da Vitoria Regia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Giant Water Lily legend amp oldid 1224225393, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
