Tradition / Region: Brazilian Mythology
Alternative names: Romshiwamnari
Category: Bird
The Myth
The Romŝiwamnari’ are fearsome forest and cave demons of the Šerente people. They usually appear as enormous birds with flabby, flightless bat-like wings, long scissor-shaped beaks, and haunting whistles that echo through the wilderness. They can also transform into tapirs or stout human figures with large teeth and the tail of a howler monkey. In human form, they are even said to resemble the Pope.
These monstrous beings prey not only upon the living but also upon the souls of the dead. As spirits journey through the realm of death, the Romŝiwamnari’ lie in wait to devour them. Only exceptionally powerful shamans are capable of confronting and destroying the demons in the spirit world.
One legend tells of a hunter and his pregnant wife who encountered two Romŝiwamnari’ inside a cave. The hunter fought bravely to allow his wife to escape, but the demons overwhelmed him and cut off his head. When the villagers later attacked the cave, they killed the two monsters, although two more remained hidden. The hunter’s son grew into a mighty hero before he was a year old, avenged his father by burning the demons’ bones, slew the remaining Romŝiwamnari’, and freed the region from their terror forever.
Sources
A Book of Creatures. (2016, February 5). Romŝiwamnari’. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://abookofcreatures.com/2016/02/05/romsiwamnari/