O Boitatá, protector of the forests, is a character in Brazilian folklore.
The legend of Boitatá describes this folkloric character as a great fire serpent. It protects animals and forests from people who do them harm and, above all, who carry out fires in the forests.
In the folkloric narrative, this snake can transform itself into a burning log with the intention of deceiving and burning the invaders and destroyers of the forests. It is believed that the person who looks at Boitatá becomes blind and crazy.
Origin of Legend: the history of Boitatá
The legend of Boitatá is from indigenous origin, it's the word Boitatá, in the Tupi-Guarani language, means snake (ox) of fire (tata).
Despite being from the indigenous language, the legend of Boitatá is found in a 16th century text by the Jesuit Father José de Anchieta.
It is worth remembering that José de Anchieta used the indigenous people's reports to compose his text:
"There are also others (ghosts), mostly on the beaches, which live most of the time by the sea and rivers, and they are called "baetatá", which means fire thing, which is the same as saying what is all about fire. There is nothing to be seen but a gleaming beam running towards it; it quickly attacks the Indians and kills them, like the curupiras; whatever this is, we still don't know for sure." (In: Letters, Information, Historical Fragments, etc. of Father José de Anchieta, Rio de Janeiro, 1933)
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Boitatá in Brazilian Folklore
The legend of Boitatá has undergone many changes over time, and therefore brings together several versions. Thus, depending on the region of Brazil, the character's name may vary: Baitatá, Biatatá, Bitatá and Batatão.
In one of the versions of the legend, a large snake lived asleep in a huge trunk and when it woke up hungry, it decided to eat the animals' eyes.
More and more she was emitting a great and intense light, becoming a snake of fire. By protecting the forest, it frightens people who go into the woods at night.
In the north and northeast of Brazil, the immense fire snake lives in rivers and comes out when there are invaders in the forests to burn them.
According to some Northeasterners, the boitatá, known as "Soul of Compadres and Comadres", represents the evil lost souls that pass burning everything.
In the south of the country, the version that prevailed comes from the biblical story of the Flood. In it, many animals died and the snakes that survived were punished by fire.
In this version, fire appears in the belly of each one, which becomes illuminated and, at the same time, transparent.
There is also a version in which Boitatá is not a large snake, but a fierce bull that releases fire from its mouth.
Also get to know other fantastic legends of Brazilian folklore:
- Acutipupu
- Jurupari
- head
- Iara
- Saci-Pererê
- Caipora
- Curupira
- Headless mule
- Mother of Gold
- pink dolphin
- bogeyman
- Oriole
- Werewolf
- Negrinho do Pastoreio
- Guarana
- Cassava
- Victoria Regia
- big snake
