Tradition: Colombian Mythology
Alternative Names: Abúhuwa (plural)
Category: Goblin
The Myth
The Abúhukü is a monstrous rainforest demon of the Cubeo people of the Colombian Amazon, associated with disease, death, and evil. These nocturnal creatures are described as misty beings from the realm of darkness, with hairy bodies, foul smells, and an extra face on the back of the head. Their bodies are sticky, making it almost impossible for anyone caught in their embrace to escape. Female Abúhuwa have long, pendulous breasts and prefer to prey on men, while males attack women, often killing mothers and abducting their children to raise as their own.
The Abúhuwa kill their victims in horrifying ways. An Abúhukü may cut a hole in a person’s skull and suck out the contents of the body. Alternatively, it rolls its prey in palm leaves and tenderizes the victim before consuming them. Afterward, it leaves behind an empty skin hanging from a tree branch, a gruesome sign of its presence. The creatures are associated with the spirits of dead poisoners, murderers, and men who committed adultery, linking them to human wickedness and the dangers of the supernatural forest.
Children abducted by Abúhuwa are raised by the demons and become cannibals themselves. In the past, the creatures were believed to be far more numerous and allied with a race of evil jaguars that helped them decimate human populations. A series of floods and fires eventually reduced the numbers of both predators, giving humanity a reprieve from their attacks.
Despite their terrifying nature, Abúhuwa are said to be surprisingly stupid and can be outwitted even by children. They eventually became figures in children’s games and nursery tales, with one child playing the role of an Abúhukü in a kind of tag game. Their grotesque appearance makes them less frightening when confronted and mocked. They also have specific weaknesses: smoke from burning capsicum peppers is toxic to them, and burning peppers can drive them away. When an Abúhukü is killed, its body transforms into a sloth.
The Abúhukü also has a disturbing connection to poison-making. Its armpit hair is considered a potent ingredient in poisons, but obtaining it requires capturing the creature during a lunar eclipse. The hair from its left armpit must be cut with a corn husk, burned to ash, mixed with water into a paste, and left to dry. The resulting substance can be stored in a gourd sealed with beeswax. Through these traditions, the Abúhuwa embody the dangers of the rainforest while also occupying a place in children’s games and beliefs about supernatural poisons.
Sources
“Abuhuku.” A Book of Creatures, November 13, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/11/13/abuhuku/