matinta perera she is the character of one of the most important legends of the North region of Brazil, being considered a legend of the Amazon Forest. In the legend, a woman who has the ability to transform herself into a bird disturbs people's sleep so that they deliver a gift to Matinta, such as coffee, tobacco or any other. In some versions of the legend there is only one Matinta Perera, in others there are several. It is usually associated with the bird known as martim-pererê (tapera naevia) and the owl known as the shroud ripper (tyto furcata).
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Summary about Matinta Perera
- Matinta Perera is the character of a legend of Brazilian folklore, very popular in the region covered by the Amazon Rainforest.
- There are two main types of Matinta, depending on the version of the legend, the Matinta with wings and the Matinta without wings.
- Usually she is represented in her human guise as a hunchbacked old woman, resembling a witch.
- In some versions, it is associated with the martim-pererê bird, also called saci. In others, it is associated with the barn owl, also called shroud-tearing owl.
- According to popular belief, it is possible to build traps to capture or chase away Matinta.
- The origin of the legend is usually associated with indigenous peoples.
- Even today, the legend of Matinta is told in Brazil, even in urban areas.
Who is Matinta Perera?
matinta perera It is a being that undergoes metamorphosis, having the appearance of a woman during the day, usually an elderly woman similar to a witch, and at night it takes the form of a bird.. she is one of main characters of Brazilian folklore, protagonist of a very popular legend in the Amazon region.
In some regions Matinta Perera is associated with the bird known as martim-pererê or saci (tapera naevia), common throughout most of the national territory. In other regions it is associated with the barn owl or shroud-tearing owl (tyto furcata), considered an animal of ill omen. The owl receives the name "shroud-rip" because its whistle resembles a fabric being ripped. In several regions of Brazil, people believe that the shroud announces the death of a family member.
→ How does a person become Matinta Perera?
There are several versions of how a person becomes Matinta Perera. See some of them below:
- One of the versions states that the person becomes Matinta by genetic transmission, that is, that the condition passes from mother to daughter.
- A common version in some regions tells that the person is transformed into Matinta as punishment for some crime or sin committed by him or an ancestor.
- Another version claims that Matinta Perera uses a stratagem, asking at the top of his voice: “Who wants it, who wants it?”. The person, thinking of it being something good, affirms that he wants it, receiving the burden of becoming Matinta Perera.
What is the story of the legend of Matinta Perera?
As it is a legend, there are several versions about Matinta Perera, but many elements are common in all versions. Among the invariants are the nuisance caused in humans by its shrill whistle and the offer of a gift to calm it down.
The most common version of the legend of Matinta Perera tells that at night, in her bird form, she starts to whistle constantly near one or more houses, bothering its residents, and the bird only stops making noise if a person promises something gift for Matinta Perera, which can be a little tobacco, coffee, cachaça, fish, bread, among others. According to Câmara Cascudo, people should shout: “Matinta, come tomorrow and I'll give you your tobacco” or any other gift. |1|
The next day, in her human form, Matinta Perera goes to the house of the person who made the promise, demanding payment. If the person does not give what was promised to Matinta, she curses the family, punishing its members, even with death..
Trap for Matinta Perera
In all told versions there is a trap that can be created to trap Matinta Perera. What varies in the different versions of the legend is how this trap should be done. The main trap is made by burying open scissors in the place where Matinta will pass; a rosary and a key must be placed in the place. In some versions the trap must be made at midnight. Sometimes it is necessary to use a broom that has never been used to sweep the place where Matinta was arrested, so that she does not disturb the people in the house again.
In Pará, to avoid the approach of Matinta, the resident must prepare a potion with holy water and garlic and pass it in the form of a cross on the doors and windows of the residence. In the Amazon, the legend tells that Matinta can be chased away by placing leaves and fruits of the purple pine, Jatropha gossypiifolia L, on the doors and windows of houses. The plant has a toxic and sticky substance in its leaves, which for people scares away Matinta.
Origin of the legend of Matinta Perera
matinta perera is a Brazilian legend, originated in the North region of Brazil. It is not possible to establish the date of origin of Matinta, but for some folklorists it has origin among indigenous peoples, perhaps in the period before the arrival of Europeans here.
Câmara Cascudo stated that Matinta Perera presented himself to people as the bird tapera naevia, popularly known as martim-pererê or saci. For him, this bird was associated by indigenous peoples with shamans, who transformed themselves into the bird to carry out their revenge.|2| For the Tupinambás, the dead were transformed into these birds, visiting the living. The Munduruku believed that this bird was the incarnation of the dead who came to hunt and fish in the world of the living.
Also access: Some of the main indigenous legends
Versions of the legend of Matinta Perera
Because it is a legend, told a long time ago, the story of Matinta has variations. Matintas are generally classified into two types: Matintas with wings and those without wings.. Matintas with wings transform themselves into birds, usually the shroud owl or the kingfisher bird. The wingless Matintas are always accompanied by the bird, acting together.
In one version of the legend, Matinta is a being who protects the forest., scaring hunters, loggers, miners and other people who threaten the forest.
There is currently an urban version of the legend in Belém.. In October 2022, the case that occurred in the commercial center of Belém was reported in the national media. Two colleagues were in the office at night and heard the whistle of a bird, one of the women joked and promised coffee to Matinta Perera. The other day, a lady appeared in the office, stating that she would like the promised coffee. The woman prepared and served the coffee to the lady, who then left.|3|
Grades
|1| It is |2| CASCUDO, Luís da Câmara. Brazilian folklore. Editora Global, Rio de Janeiro, 2017.
|3| ALEXANDRIA, L. Woman says that Matinta Perera asked for coffee at the door of work, after playing with legend. G1. 2022. Available in: https://g1.globo.com/pa/para/noticia/2022/10/31/mulher-conta-que-matinta-perera-pediu-cafe-na-porta-do-trabalho-apos-brincar-com-lenda.ghtml.
image credit
[1]Lalfulano123 / Wikimedia Commons (reproduction)
Sources
ALEXANDRIA, L. Woman says that Matinta Perera asked for coffee at the door of work, after playing with legend. G1. 2022. Available in: https://g1.globo.com/pa/para/noticia/2022/10/31/mulher-conta-que-matinta-perera-pediu-cafe-na-porta-do-trabalho-apos-brincar-com-lenda.ghtml.
CASCUDO, Luís da Câmara. Brazilian folklore. Editora Global, Rio de Janeiro, 2017.
MAGALHÃES, Basilio de. the folklore of Brazil. Editions of the Federal Senate, Brasilia, 2006.
NETO, Simões Lopes. Gaucho tales and legends from the South. Publisher l&PM, Porto Alegre, 1998.
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/folclore/matinta-perera.htm