Brazilian Mythology

Lobisomem

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Tradition: Brazilian Mythology
Alternative Names: Werewolf, Brazilian Werewolf
Category: Pig

The Myth

The Lobisomem is a supernatural creature found in Brazilian and wider South American traditions. It is most commonly described as a werewolf, resembling the wolf-like shapeshifters known from other cultures. However, some Brazilian accounts portray it as a ball of fire or an unusually large pig. In human form, it appears much like an ordinary person, except for slightly pointed ears and pale, yellowish skin.

There are several explanations for how a person becomes a Lobisomem. One may be transformed after being bitten by one or coming into contact with its blood. In some traditions, the curse falls upon the seventh son in a family, although it can supposedly be prevented by having an older brother serve as his godfather. Another version claims that the first male child born to parents who already have seven daughters will undergo his first transformation on his thirteenth birthday. The condition may also be understood as a punishment for incest, concubinage, or a woman’s sexual relationship with a priest.

The Lobisomem’s transformation takes place at night, although accounts differ over its timing. Some traditions claim that it transforms every night during a full moon, while others maintain that the change occurs only on Fridays when the moon is full. In its transformed state, the creature typically attacks travellers and animals encountered along roads after dark, making it a feared presence in the Brazilian countryside.

Sources

“Lobisomem.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 31, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobisomem

Curupira

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Tradition: Brazilian Mythology, Paraguayan Mythology, Guyana Mythology
Alternative Names: Currupira, Korupira
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Curupira is a small, humanoid forest spirit known for its unusual appearance and backward-facing feet. Its feet point in the opposite direction from those of an ordinary human, allowing it to leave footprints that mislead trackers. It is commonly described as a short Indigenous-looking figure, sometimes bald on the head but covered in long, shaggy body hair. Some accounts give it enormous ears and blue or green teeth, while others describe a bright red face, cloven feet, or a single eye. Its hair is sometimes portrayed as red or orange, although this feature may reflect confusion with another Brazilian forest spirit, the Caipora. The Curupira’s appearance varies considerably between regions.

The Curupira inhabits forests across Brazil, Paraguay, and the Guianas, where it acts as a guardian of the natural world. It punishes people who recklessly cut down trees or exploit the forest. One of its characteristic tricks is to make intruders lose their way, causing them to wander endlessly among the trees without finding their way home. Its backward-facing footprints make it especially difficult to follow its movements: anyone attempting to track or escape the creature may instead find themselves following it deeper into the wilderness. The Curupira can also cause nightmares, inspire troubling thoughts, and sow distrust and discord between people.

The Curupira’s temperament differs between accounts. Early Jesuit descriptions from São Paulo portray it as a feared supernatural being capable of inflicting terrible injuries, whose favour could be secured through offerings. In other traditions, it appears as a mischievous trickster that sometimes bungles its schemes and allows humans to outsmart it. Despite this more playful portrayal, it remains dangerous, capable of causing misfortune and death. Its ability to confuse and deceive people has also led to its association with lies and misleading thoughts.

According to some traditions, the Curupira has a wife and children who live inside the hollow trunks of dead trees. Its female relatives are described as having long hair, and the family sometimes enters cultivated fields to steal manioc. Other accounts portray its wife as an ugly, malicious woman who assists in its misdeeds. Some versions even identify the youngest child as Saci, another well-known figure in Brazilian folklore. The Curupira is also sometimes depicted riding a deer, rabbit, pig, or peccary, and in stories from Pernambuco it may be accompanied by a dog named Papa-mel.

Hunters can sometimes appease the Curupira by leaving offerings of tobacco or cachaça, a spirit distilled from sugarcane. The creature is particularly fond of tobacco and may reward hunters who provide it, although they are expected to keep the arrangement secret from their wives. These offerings reflect the belief that the forest spirit can be approached through respect and gifts, even though its behaviour remains unpredictable.

As a guardian of the forest, the Curupira embodies both the dangers of the wilderness and the consequences of exploiting it. It protects trees and wildlife by confusing, frightening, or punishing those who abuse the natural environment. Its backward feet, deceptive tricks, and shifting appearance make it a formidable opponent for anyone who enters the forest without respect for the supernatural forces believed to dwell there.

Sources

“Curupira.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 17, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curupira

Mapinguari

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Tradition: Brazilian Mythology
Alternative Names: Mapinguary, Kida harara, Kida so’emo, Owoj, Owojo, Juma
Category: Forest dweller

The Myth

The Mapinguari is a terrifying monster that roams the vast forests of the Amazon. It is often described as a gigantic, hairy, ape-like creature with long red, brown, or black fur and an extremely foul smell. Its body may be as large as a human or considerably bigger, and its face resembles that of a monkey. The creature has powerful claws like those of a jaguar and unusual feet that point backwards, sometimes resembling the hooves of a donkey. Some descriptions give it a hard, crocodile-like hide or a shell like that of a turtle, making its body extraordinarily difficult to injure. Its thick coat is said to protect it from bullets, leaving only its navel as a vulnerable spot.

The Mapinguari has several horrifying features that distinguish it from other forest monsters. In some accounts, it possesses a single enormous eye in the middle of its forehead, while others place the eye in its abdomen. Its mouth may stretch vertically from its face down to its stomach, creating a huge opening through which it devours its victims. The creature is a fearsome man-eater that may hide in the dim depths of the forest before suddenly charging at unsuspecting travellers. It announces its presence with a tremendous scream resembling a human cry or a peal of thunder. When it catches someone, it often begins by chewing the victim’s head slowly, although some stories describe it consuming the entire body piece by piece.

One tale tells of a rubber tapper who returned to his hut on a Sunday and discovered that the Mapinguari was devouring his companion. The monster had enormous, jaguar-like claws and a mouth extending from its face to its stomach. The encounter was remembered as a punishment for working on the Sabbath, while other stories warn that the creature deliberately hunts people who venture out on Sundays and holidays. The Mapinguari is not always portrayed as a flesh-eater, however, as some accounts describe it tearing down palm trees to feed on their tender hearts and fruits.

Some traditions claim that people who reach an exceptionally old age may transform into Mapinguari. Other stories describe the creature as a former shaman or an ancient ruler of the region who became a monstrous being. Whether it is a transformed human or a terrifying spirit of the wilderness, the Mapinguari remains a dreaded inhabitant of the Amazonian forests, feared for its overwhelming strength, horrible stench, strange body, and appetite for human flesh.

Sources

“Mapinguari.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapinguari

Tapirê-Iauara

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Tradition: Brazilian Mythology
Alternative Names: Tapir Nymph, Tapirê-Iauara, Tai-açu-iara
Category: River dweller

The Myth

The Tapirê-Iauara, also known as the Tapir Nymph, is a terrifying aquatic monster that inhabits the rivers and waterways of the Amazon. It prefers slow-moving waters near groves of aninga plants and palm trees, generally avoiding human settlements. Its body resembles an enormous jaguar about the size of a cow, covered in reddish, waterproof fur and crowned with a thick mane. Its most distinctive features are its enormous, drooping ears, which can reach half a meter in length and flap noisily against the water as it swims. Its body may be red, golden, or black with a cream-colored patch on its chest. Depending on the account, it has jaguar legs, donkey-like hooves, horse legs, duck feet, or large otter paws. Despite its name, it bears little resemblance to a tapir.

The Tapirê-Iauara is usually heard and smelled before it is seen. Its enormous ears slap against the water as it approaches, while its overpowering stench spreads through the surrounding area. At a distance, the smell is merely nauseating, but anyone caught close to the creature may faint or even die from the putrid odor. The monster can also mesmerize its prey, leaving victims motionless before it suddenly pounces. Its diet includes large fish, capybaras, caimans, and humans, making it a formidable predator of the Amazonian waterways.

Fishermen particularly fear the Tapirê-Iauara because it is attracted to fish catches and the foul breath produced by eating poorly cooked fish. It may approach a fishing boat to inspect the catch or attack the fishermen themselves. Fast, persistent, and difficult to kill, it weakens its victims with its stench before tearing them apart with its sharp teeth and claws. One fisherman reportedly had to fire twelve bullets from a small rifle into a pursuing Tapirê-Iauara before the beast finally died. Other fishermen have lost their catches to the monster, while some have been dragged into the river and devoured.

The creature’s foul odor is believed to possess a supernatural power beyond physical harm. In some accounts, the stench can cause a person’s shadow, and therefore their soul, to depart from their body. Anyone who suffers this fate becomes assombrado, a condition that can supposedly be reversed by inhaling the fumes of a fire made from leaves, sticks, and the bones of undercooked piranhas. The Tapirê-Iauara has two known weaknesses: it cannot climb trees, and it is repelled by caraña resin. Those who fear an encounter are advised to carry the resin and seek refuge in a sturdy tree, choosing secure branches in case the creature’s odor causes them to faint. Around Parintins, a similar monster called the Tai-açu-iara appears as a black, pig-like creature with jaguar paws and may be another form of the same beast.

Sources

“Tapirê-iauara.” A Book of Creatures. August 14, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/08/14/tapire-iauara/

Capelobo

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Tradition: Brazilian Mythology
Alternative Names: Cupelobo, Cupélobo
Category: Forest Dweller

The Myth

The Capelobo is a terrifying shapeshifting monster that prowls the forests of northern Brazil, particularly in the regions of Pará and Maranhão. It can appear as a large, shaggy animal resembling a tapir, with long black hair and the elongated snout of a pig or dog. In other versions, its snout resembles that of a giant anteater, while its body takes on a more humanoid shape. The creature has short, sturdy legs and unusually round feet, leaving strange, circular tracks in the forest. It is also known for its piercing screams, which announce its presence among the trees.

The Capelobo is a fearsome predator that hunts after dark, sometimes raiding forest camps to snatch newborn puppies and kittens. It attacks people by crushing them in a deadly embrace, biting their necks to drink their blood, or thrusting its long snout into their heads to suck out their brains. Its appetite for blood and brains makes it one of the most dreaded creatures of the Brazilian wilderness. In some traditions, it is believed that elderly Indigenous men can transform into the monster, taking on its shaggy, beast-like form.

Despite its immense strength and fearsome appearance, the Capelobo has one vulnerable spot: its navel, which is hidden beneath long strands of fur. A shot or arrow striking this precise point is said to be the only reliable way to kill it. Hunters therefore fear confronting the creature, as its thick coat conceals the one place where it can be wounded. Known in Maranhão as the Cupelobo, the monster remains a dreaded presence in the forests, where its screams warn of its approach and its strange tracks reveal the passage of a deadly hunter.

Sources

“Capelobo.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capelobo

Onça-Boi

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Tradition: Brazilian Mythology
Alternative names: Onça-Boi
Category: Cat, Cow

The Myth

The Onça-Boi is a creature of Amazonian folklore whose existence is said to have been reported by fishermen, hunters, and bushmen travelling through the forests.

The creature resembles a jaguar, but possesses the physical characteristics of cattle: hooves and horns.

Unlike ordinary jaguars, which generally hunt alone, Onças-Bois are said to always hunt in pairs. The two creatures work together to corner their prey, which is primarily made up of hunters who encounter them in the wilderness.

When pursued by a pair of Onças-Bois, a hunter’s best immediate chance of survival is to climb a tree. However, the creatures are patient hunters. They take turns watching their trapped victim, waiting beneath the tree until exhaustion, hunger, or sleep causes the hunter to fall.

According to the legend, there is only one reliable way to survive an encounter with a hungry pair: kill one of the Onças-Bois.

Once one of the creatures is killed, the surviving Onça-Boi immediately flees, abandoning the hunt.

Sources

“Onça-Boi.” Mythus Wiki. Fandom. Accessed August 29, 2026. https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/On%C3%A7a-Boi

Romŝiwamnari’

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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/

Cuca

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Tradition / Region: Brazilian Mythology
Alternative names: Coca, Coco, Cucuy, Cuco, Cucu, Cucuí, El Cucuí
Category: Crocodile

The Myth

The Cuca is the Brazilian form of the Iberian bogeyman known as the Coco or Coca. In Brazil, she is traditionally portrayed as a female humanoid alligator who comes during the night to seize disobedient children. Parents invoke her in lullabies and nursery rhymes, warning that children who refuse to sleep or misbehave will be carried away by the Cuca.

Unlike many other versions of the Coco, which have no fixed appearance, the Brazilian Cuca is depicted with the face and body of an alligator, dressed like a woman. This reptilian form became firmly established through adaptations of Monteiro Lobato’s children’s stories, although in the original novel O Saci (1921), she is only described as having an alligator’s face and clawed fingers.

As a bogeyman, the Cuca serves as a supernatural warning against disobedience. Rather than acting as a guardian or trickster, she is a child-stealing monster who watches from rooftops or lurks in the darkness, waiting for children who ignore their parents. In Brazilian lullabies, she is said to come while parents are away, carrying off children who refuse to sleep.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Coco (folklore). In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coco_(folklore)

Pombero

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Tradition / Region: Paraguay Mythology, Brazilian Mythology, Argentine Mythology
Alternative names: Pomberito, Karai Pyhare, Pyrague, Kuarahy Jára, Cho Pombé, Lord of the Night
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Pombero is a mysterious nocturnal being that inhabits forests, abandoned houses, barns, and lonely rural places throughout the Guaraní-speaking world. Usually active after dark, he is known as the Lord of the Night and is one of the most feared and respected figures in Paraguayan folklore.

He is commonly described as a short, ugly humanoid with extremely short arms and hairy hands and feet. His feet allow him to move silently through the forest, while the touch of his hairy hands is said to send a cold shiver through those he touches. The Pombero possesses many supernatural abilities, including invisibility and the power to squeeze through impossibly narrow openings.

Before appearing, he often announces his presence with strange whistles and the songs of nocturnal birds, which he can imitate perfectly. Because of this, he is regarded as a protector of birds and is said to punish children who hunt them with slingshots.

Although generally considered a mischievous spirit rather than an outright monster, the Pombero delights in causing trouble. He steals eggs, honey, and chickens, scatters grain and food stores, releases livestock, and frightens horses so that riders are thrown to the ground.

He is also associated with mysterious pregnancies and is sometimes blamed for fathering children born unusually hairy or unattractive. In darker traditions, he is said to kidnap lonely or ungrateful young women, force his affection upon them, and violate them. Similar stories are also attributed to the Guaraní being Kurupi.

Because of his unpredictable nature, people seek to appease the Pombero with offerings. Cigars and rum are his favorite gifts, though honey is also considered acceptable. Families in rural Paraguay often leave these offerings outside at night to prevent his mischief.

Those who regularly honor him may gain his friendship. A satisfied Pombero is believed to protect homes, animals, and possessions, and sometimes rewards his benefactors with small gifts of his own.

Thus, the Pombero remains one of the most enduring figures of Guaraní folklore—a silent lord of the forests who walks unseen through the night, bringing either mischief or protection depending on how he is treated.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Pombero. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pombero

Teju Jagua

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Tradition / Region: Paraguay Mythology, Brazilian Mythology
Alternate Names: Teju Jagua, Teju Jagua’i
Category: Dog, Snake, Cave dweller

The Myth

Teju Jagua is the firstborn son of Tau and Kerana, and the eldest of the seven cursed monsters of Guaraní tradition. Because Tau had angered the heavens, all of his children were born deformed and monstrous, and Teju Jagua was the first sign of that curse.

He is described as a gigantic reptilian creature with multiple dog heads — most often seven — each with blazing eyes that can shoot fire. Some stories say he has only a single enormous dog head, but all agree that his body is vast, heavy, and awkward, making it difficult for him to move swiftly.

Although his appearance is the most terrifying of the seven brothers, his nature is not cruel. Tupã, the great god, softened his spirit so that he would not be savage. Instead of preying on people, Teju Jagua lives quietly in caves and hidden places.

He feeds on fruit rather than flesh, and his brother Yasy Yateré brings him honey, which is his favorite food. Because of this peaceful life, he is remembered not as a destroyer but as a guardian.

Teju Jagua became lord of the caves and protector of buried treasures. He is said to dwell among gold and precious stones, and after long years rolling among them, his skin grew smooth and shining.

Thus he is feared for his monstrous form and fiery gaze, yet also respected as a watchful keeper of hidden riches beneath the earth.

Gallery

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Teju Jagua. In Wikipedia, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teju_Jagua

Interpretive Lenses

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