Curupira

Curupira presents as a kid of about seven years, with the body covered with long hairs and having their feet turned backwards. Initial reports were recorded by the Portuguese in the early centuries of discovery, and since that time is vlsto as an evil entity, a demon or an evil spirit; course that was painted with the paint palette of missionaries, the same as colored Jurupari. The information is also the most diverse: It is a brownie, now a demon bad, sometimes an ogre or a gnome. The point at which all agree is their condition as God of indigenous forests, a protector. As protector of forests, mercilessly punish those who hunt for pleasure, that kills pregnant dogs and puppies defenseless, but supports the hunter who is hunting their only food source, or to slaughter an animal in real need. Physical descriptions are disparate and confusing: a Curupira appears "acanga piroka" - bald head - another is lame and UNIPEDE. The most common figure is that of an anthropomorphic being of small stature - child or dwarf - very hairy and with heels facing forward. As we noted, Curupira incorporated other attributes and extended its powers and its area of ​​action, but the character remains beneficent and protective. Nevertheless the traditional version states that a meeting with this elf is always unpleasant and striking. One of the tricks that the shifting cultivators use when they realize they are victims of Curupira, is to make small wooden crosses, strongly tied with vine Timbui, and hide the edge of the node. Say Curupira is trying to undo the knot and forgets the hunter, which can then slip, get away.

Boiúna or Big Snake

Of Amerindian origin, the legend of the Great Snake or also called Boiúna, Cobra Norato or Great Mother speaks of a huge snake of enormous size, which inhabit the deep part of the rivers and lakes and has bright eyes and body and can take other form to fool the Indian. The legend is well known among riverine populations of the Amazon which states that when crawling the land, the ridges that snake leaves turn in streams and rivers. This is a this is genuinely a myth from Pará. Our legend says that one woman of name Zelina gave birth to a couple of twins: Honorato and Maria Caninana, two snakes. She threw them in the river, where they created, but Maria Caninana keep doing wrong thing until she was killed by his brother, who had a good heart.

Muiraquitã or Muiraquitá

Of all the catchers, this seems to be one of the most highly invested with enormous power. The most known of these amulets is a small frog, but also found with the appearance of a turtle or other animal. However is interesting to note that the Muiraquitã is related to water, and the little frog or frog in Indian belief, is causing the rains; guardian of rainwater. The jewelry functioned as a safe-conduct for the warriors who had sex with the Amazons, could get in and out of their village unmolested. According to legend, the famous female warriors dived in Lake Jamundá - Mirror of the Moon - to catch the green stones, which were already in the form of the animal.

Legend of Açaí

The acai berry is the fruit of a palm quite common and abundant in Pará. Maranhão State your name is Juçara; Venezuela is Manaca and Quasei, Qapoe in Suriname. That fruit juice is extracted dark and creamy, smell and taste characteristic, known as açaí wine and that both can be served plain or with sugar, with cassava flour, the natural or iced. From the açaí wine obtains various culinary delicacies Pará, especially desserts. It is our ambrosia'''' corresponding to the mythological gods of Olympus. According to legend, a tribe that lived HJE where the city is located in Belém was going through a dark period of scarcity, forcing the chief Itaki to decree the death of every child born after that date, as a measure of population control of the tribe. But, behold Iaçá, chief's daughter, gives birth to a girl. Despite being the granddaughter of the chief, the newborn should be subject to law. Serving their sentences, poor Iaçá cried for days, always praying to Tupa so it shows a way to end the deaths of innocents. One night she hears a child crying, trying to locate him, discovers her little girl leaning on a slender plameira, smiling at him, but to embrace her daughter, and it disappears Iaçá is seen docked to the trunk of the palm tree. The next day, the chief finds the body of his daughter embraced the trunk of the palm tree, carrying a bunch of berries and black eyes Iaçá. Immediately ordered to crush the fruit in a bowl and the juice obtained named him Acai, which is the name of Iaçá instead.

Matinta Pereira

Say Saci has as an old companion índia - black or old, ragged, whose singing mimics your name: Mati-Tapere. Some believe that he is the son of Curupira, others identify him as a small bird hopping on one leg, and there are also those who claim to be his hands pierced in the center.

Mapinguari

This creature is described as a monkey of huge size – 5 to 6 feet – hairy like a hedgehog, but the hairs are made by steel. Within this description, a big monkey, a rare species orangutan, covered by long and dense pelagius, etc. Each step of Mapinguari measures 3 feet and his favorite food is the head of his victims, generally people he hunts during the day, leaving them to sleep at night. There are those who claim to be impossible to kill: it is invulnerable. In another embodiment it is presented as being one of the most fantastic with two eyes, but three burners, one under each arm and the other on the heart. This last is considered his'' Achilles heel'', because when he opens his mouth you can hit your heart, only way to kill him.

Iara

Myth based in the model of the mermaids of the Homeric tales, Iara is the Amazonian Venus; she is a blonde nymph with a stunning body and irresistible beauty. Her voice is melodious and her singing is able to bewitch to all who hear, dragging them to the river, lake and stream bottom.

Boto

Boto is a aquatic creature that usually tries to chase women which travel in the rivers and streams. Sometimes he tries to break the canoe where she is, and his investees to the vessel turns stronger when he notices that have pregnant or menstruated woman. He is the great lovable of the rivers, that transforms in a man, dresses completely in white e using a hat, that he uses to hide the hole in the top of his head, where he breathe. He runs poor villages, attends on parties and seduces the lady’s, often impregnating them.

The Amazons

Amazons means ''no breast'', because the ancients believe that the famous warriors of Citia cut the right breast to handle better the bow and arrow. Already, the priest of Acunã informs that ''Yacamiaba'' is the name given to the peak that stands more between the others, in the highest point of the mountains of the Tumucumaque, where those ''masculinized woman’s'' live. However, the Tapajos knew them by ''cunhantensequina'' or ''woman’s without husband''.

Amazonian Myths and Legends

Legend is a written or oral narration, which the historic facts are changed by the popular imagination or poetic imagination. O Pará and the other states of Amazônia have a lot of legends that attempt to explain natural facts and reflect the regional ambient and it's riches.