The caipora is a character folklore brazilianO.The legend talks about one short stature india that resides inside the forest and acts as a protector of animals, especially those targeted by hunters. It can bring bad luck or even terrify hunters as a way to protection of animals that inhabit the forest.
Lookalso: Boto-cor-de-rosa — traditional legend in northern Brazil
summary about caipora
Caipora is a character from Brazilian folklore legend.
It is a being that inhabits the forest and protects animals from hunters.
There are reports from sixteenth-century chroniclers who point to the possibility that this legend already existed in that period.
Some understand the caipora legend as a variation of the curupira legend.
Caipora has different versions in Brazil.
There are legends in South America that look like the legend of caipora.
Who is the caipora?
The caipora is a character from the Brazilian folklore. Its legend speaks of a being, understood by some scholars as a kind of elf, which inhabits the Brazilian forests
. The caipora's residence is literally inside the bush, in places that are difficult to access, where the forest is dense. It is traditionally known as protector of target animalsIt is hunters.Legend has it that caipora protects animals such as the capybara and the agouti, which are intensely hunted. your action against hunters who kill more animals than they can eat, bringing bad luck to those and frightening them. Chroniclers report that the legend of caipora caused great fear in the natives.
The name caipora is a variation that came from caapora, the original name of this being, which, translated from Tupi, means “inhabitant of the bush”. This word may have been recorded by European travelers in the 16th century. There are chroniclers' notes that point to the existence of a folkloric being called kaagerre, and the translation of this expression is the same as that of caapora.
However, there is an important observation to be made about the caipora legend, which is the fact that this legend it is seen by some scholars as a variation of the legend of the curupira. Based on this variation, the curupira was represented as a guardian of the forest, while the caipora was represented as a guardian of animals.
The natives feared the caipora and, therefore, used torches to move in the forests during the night, as this would guarantee protection against dangerous animals, but would also prevent the approach of the caipora. This because it was believed that she feared the light. Finally, there are those who claim that caipora in its Indian form was a big fan of tobacco and cachaça.
Loginalso: Dry Body — the legend of the undead condemned to terrorize people
Different versions of caipora
The caipora legend is present throughout Brazil, so it is natural for the story to vary. Like this, caipora acquires different shapes and attributes according to the Brazilian region in question.
A well-known version presents the caipora as a short-statured Indian., but quite strong. The caipora would have large hair, and in some versions of it they are reddish in color. She would have a body with lots of hair and would wear indigenous clothes. In some regions, there are those who believe that caipora has sexual relations with men, demanding eternal fidelity from them. Those who betray her trust are killed.
In some versions, the caipora would ride a wild boar and resuscitate animals. during his role protecting them from hunters. Other versions claim that caipora, in fact, would be a short and strong Indian who rides a wild pig. Other variations portray the caipora not as a small Indian, but as a giant Indian.
The folklorist Luís da Câmara Cascudo points to the fact that there are legends very similar to caipora in other countries of South America|1|. In some places of Argentina, Paraguay It is Uruguay, caipora is an old and giant Indian who lives in mountain regions. Other variations feature him with the power to take the form of a dog or a pig.
The author also points out that in Argentina and Chile, there are two legends that have many elements that are close to the Brazilian legend.|1|. In Argentina, it is about the legend of Yastay, a being who defends animals from hunters. At the Chile, it is about the legend of Anchimallen, a dwarf protector of animals.
Finally, there is even a association of caipora with the fact that the person is unlucky. This is because the caipora's pursuit of hunters was seen as the reason for its misfortune in hunting. Thus, when a person experiences a streak of bad luck, some may say that person “has the caipora”.
Grades
|1| CAMARA CASCUDO, Luís da. Geography of Brazilian myths. So Paulo: Global, 2012.
By Daniel Neves
History teacher
