The Brazilian Mythology is actually a mix of beliefs from many different peoples. The strongest influence came from the Tupi-Guarani tribes that lives in the region of Brazil since before the arrival of the Europeans. Even though the Tupi-Guarani tribes being the most numerous, Brazilian mythology also received influence from other smaller tribes.
When the Europeans arrived, some legends received a bit influence from Europeans legends and the same happened with African legends when the slavery of the African population began. Even with so much mixing, the greatest influence and base remains as the Tupi-Guarani mythology.
The Tupi-Guarani Mythology[]
Tupi mythology was created in immemorial times and is still cultivated to this day by some indigenous peoples of South America, such as the Guaranis, the urubus-caapores, the Mundurucus, the Suruí of Rondonia, the Guajajaras and the Camaiurás.
The creation[]
Tupã and Jaci gods. Image by Danyael Lopes
The primary figure in most of the Guarani legends of creation is Tupã (or Nhanderuvuçu or Iamandu), the Thunder God and the director of all creation. With the help of the moon goddess Jaci (or Araci), Tupã descended to Earth in a place described as a mountain in the region of Areguá, Paraguay, and from this place created everything on the face of the Earth, including the ocean, forests, stars and animals.
Tupã then created mankind (according to most of the Guarani myths, they were the first breed created, with all other civilizations born of them) in an elaborate ceremony, forming clay statues of man and woman with a blend of various elements of nature. After blowing life in human forms, he left them with the spirits of good and evil and departed.
First Humans[]
The original humans created by Tupã were Rupavé and Sypavé, names that mean "Father of the people" and "Mother of the people", respectively. The couple had three children and a large number of daughters. The first of the sons was Tumé Arandú, considered the wisest of men and the great prophet of the Guarani people. The second son was Marangatu, a generous and benevolent leader of his people, and father of Kerana, the mother of the seven legendary monsters of the Guarani myth. His third child was Japeusá, who from birth was considered a liar, a thief and a cheater, always doing everything upside down to confuse people and take advantage of them. He finally committed suicide, drowning, but was resurrected like a crab, and since then all crabs have been cursed to walk back like Japeusá. Among the daughters of Rupave and Sypave was Porâsý, notable for sacrificing her own life to rid the world of one of the seven legendary monsters, diminishing its power (and therefore the power of evil as a whole). It is believed that several of the first humans rose in their deaths and became smaller entities.
The seven legendary monsters[]
Kerana, the beautiful daughter of Marangatu, was captured by the personification or spirit of the evil called Tau (in old Tupi, Taúba or Taubymana). Together, they had seven children, who were cursed by the great goddess Arasy, and all but one were born as horrible monsters.
The seven are considered primary figures in Guarani mythology, and while several of the lesser gods or even the original humans are forgotten in the verbal tradition of some areas, these seven are generally kept in the legends. Some are considered real even in modern times, in rural areas or indigenous regions. The seven children of Tau and Kerana are, in order of birth:
- Tejú Jaguá, god or spirit of the caves and fruits;
- Mboi Tu'i, god of waterways and aquatic creatures;
- Moñai, god of the open fields. He was defeated by the sacrifice of Porâsý;
- Jaci Jaterê, god of the siesta, unique of the seven that does not appear like monster;
- Kurupi, god of sexuality and fertility;
- Ao Ao, god of the hills and mountains;
- Luison, god of death and everything related to her.
Other gods, important figures or legends[]
Pombero, a popular spirit of mischief
- Abaangui, a god credited for creating the moon
- Abaçaí
- Andurá
- Angatupyry
- Angra
- Anhangá or Anhanga
- Arikonta, mythological character of the Tupi people who inhabited the Brazilian coast in 16th century.
- Boitatá
- Boiuna
- Boto Cor-De-Rosa
- Caipora
- Chandoré
- Curupira
- Guaraci
- Iara
- Ipupiara (of the old tupi 'Ypupîara, "what is in the water"), a marine monster
- Irãmaîé, mythological character of the Tupi people who inhabited the Brazilian coast in the 16th century. He would have been the only surviving human being in a great fire that would have given birth to the world. From him, all human beings of the time before the Flood would be descended.
- Jaci
- Jurupari, a god of worship limited to male subjects. Currently, it is worshiped only in isolated tribes in Brazil.
- Karú-Sakaibê, civilizing hero of the Mundurucus people.
- Legend of the Erva-Mate
- Legend of the Vitória-Régia
- Maira, an ancient prophet, successor of Mairumûana. The term was later applied to white men, especially the French.
- Maira-poxy, translated from the old tupi, "Maíra bad". Another mythological character of the Tupi people from the Brazilian coast of the 16th century.
- Mairata
- Mairumûana or Maíra-humane (literally translated from the old Tupi, "the old Maíra") a mythical character of the Tupi people who inhabited the Brazilian coast of the 16th century.
- Mbaeapina (translated from the old tupi, "sheared thing"), a marine monster
- M'Bororé, old Guarani chieftain who guards a white house with no doors or windows on the upper Uruguay River with treasures left by the Jesuits.
- Monã, mythological character of the ancient Tupi civilization.
- Mula Sem Cabeça
- Negrinho do Pastoreio, a legend about a slave boy who was abused by his owner
- Nhanderequeí: literally, "our elder brother." Civilizing hero of the Guarani people.
- Pombero, a popular spirit of mischief and protector of the fauna and the flora.
- Pytajovái, god of war.
- Rudá
- Saci
- Tamandaré, a legendary shaman who made a fountain that flooded the world. He took shelter on the top of a palm tree with his wife. When the water lowered, the pair gave origin to the Tupinambá people.
- Tau (also known as Taúba and Taubymana), god of evil.
- Onça Celeste, the mythological jaguar that kills the moon during the waning phase and that bites the sun during the solar eclipses.
- Tupi, the mythical ancestor of all Tupi peoples.
- Yvy marã e'ỹ or Guajupiá, the "land without evils"