Tradition: Venezuelan Mythology
Alternative Names: Kayeri
Category: Forest dweller
The Myth
The Kayeri are mysterious humanoid beings from the mythology of the Cuiva people of Colombia and Venezuela. They are closely associated with rain and the seasonal rhythms of the forest, appearing most frequently during the rainy season and especially after a fresh downpour. During dry periods, they hide underground or beneath tree roots, using holes made by ants to reach the surface. The appearance of anthills during the rainy season is considered a sure sign that Kayeri are nearby. Their physical form is poorly defined, but they are humanoid in shape and are sometimes described wearing yellow or blue-green hats. The forest itself is filled with things associated with these beings: mushrooms are considered Kayeri, as are agoutis, the broad-leaved unkuaju plant, and Ficus vines. Dragonflies can also become Kayeri, and the coyoweri fruit is said to be their invention.
The Kayeri are exceptionally strong and fast runners, capable of seizing a cow and carrying it away with ease. They feed exclusively on cattle, devouring the flesh, entrails, horns, hooves, and bones in a single sitting, leaving absolutely nothing behind. They are also dangerous to humans, committing theft, murder, kidnapping, and other terrible acts. Male Kayeri are naturally bigamous, each having two wives, but they are also attracted to human women, whom they bewitch and entrance into coming to them. Their only known spoken sound is “mu” or “mü,” which they repeat when communicating or expressing anger.
Despite their supernatural strength, the Kayeri have one particular vulnerability: their kidneys. A bone-tipped arrow striking this spot can kill them, whereas they are otherwise nearly invulnerable. Upon death, a Kayeri transforms into an ordinary, harmless stone. One tale tells of a hunter whose two daughters were abducted by a Kayeri. The father pursued the creature and managed to strike it with a bone-tipped arrow before it could harm them. The Kayeri fell into a river and turned into a pebble. As the family fled toward safety, they heard other Kayeri nearby beating trees with sticks and crying “mu, mu, mu” in anger. Thinking quickly, the father shouted that the dead creature had fallen from its hammock and broken its back. The deception prevented further trouble, allowing him and his daughters to reach home unharmed.
Sources
“Kayeri.” A Book of Creatures. May 1, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/05/01/kayeri/