by Natalia Essigmann
Curupira and Caipora: Brazil’s Unsung Heroes?
Walking along the forest,
I find a giant field of pretty pink flowers.
I need them for myself;
How long will it take?
Maybe an hour?
I stride towards the bed,
Reach out my hand,
And pull one from the ground.
Ouch!
What is this sound?
Dropping the flower,
I cover my ears in pain.
My head throbbing,
I stumble across the field into the woods.
Where am I?
How shall I get home?
In Brazilian folklore, the Curupira and Caipora are protectors of nature. However, because of their appearance, especially that of the Curupira, many see them as evil beings. The word curupira means “covered with blisters” in the language of the Indigenous Tupi People of Brazil (Curupira, 2021), which was the largest group of Indigenous peoples in Brazil before the Portuguese colonization in 1500 (Tupi, 2021). As such, the Curupira is a dwarf-like creature that has a body covered in sores. It either has red/orange hair or has actual fire for “hair,” and is usually depicted as a young boy–though it is sometimes presented as a girl (Curupira, n.d.). In addition, the Curupira is often seen riding a peccary or tapir, which are similar to pigs, horses, and rhinoceroses (Bagchi, 2021; Peccary, n.d.; Tapirs, n.d.). In general, the Curupira attacks or confuses people who harm nature, such as greedy hunters and woodcutters. However, according to my research, the only instance in which the Curupira uses violence is when hunters target young offspring that are still being cared for by their mothers (Curupira, 2021). The most unique feature of the Curupira are their backwards feet; it is thought that it uses this feature to confuse forest travelers and hunters. The Curupira is also known to create hallucinations and let out high-pitched whistles and/or strange noises that leave forest-goers disoriented, oftentimes with a headache (Curupira, n.d.). It seems as though confusion is the Curupira’s main weapon against those who harm nature.
Similarly to the Curupira, the Caipora is thought to have originated from Tupi mythology (Caipora, 2021). The Caipora is depicted as an Indigenous individual (once again, either a boy or a girl) that has a long, red mane, dark skin, and a petite body. Like the Curupira, the Caipora is known to ride a peccary. Although both the Curupira and Caipora are forest protectors, there are a few differences between them: the Caipora does not have backwards feet, is known to smoke a cigar and hold a stick while riding a peccary, and is sometimes considered to be a cannibal. In addition, the Caipora also confuses greedy forest-goers, but it uses imitation to throw them off (Caipora, 2021). Specifically, it mimics the sounds of wild animals and creates fake animal tracks; it also scares off prey to ensure that they do not get caught by hunters. It is said that on days when hunting is prohibited–Friday, Saturday, and holidays–the Caipora becomes especially sensitive. However, the Caipora can also be a source of good luck. Apparently, hunters can give the Caipora gifts to increase their hunting luck. Also, the Caipora particularly likes smoke. To convince the Caipora into allowing hunting to take place on forbidden days, hunters leave smoke at the trunk of a tree and say a chant to attract the Caipora (Caipora, 2021).
Both the Curupira and Caipora have appeared in recent pop culture. The Curupira was a character in the Australian TV show, BeastMaster, that ran from 1999 to 2002 (Curupira, 2021). In the show, the Curupira is a female character that can kill with a kiss. The Curupira also appeared in Netflix’s recent series released in 2021, Invisible City. Here, the Curupira is a disguised homeless man who, unlike the Curupira in BeastMaster, has the traditional folklore characteristics and roles. On the other hand, the Caipora made an appearance in two popular Brazilian TV shows, Castelo Rá-Tim-Bum, which ran from 1994 to 1997, and O Sítio do Picapau Amarelo (the Cuca is also in this show!; Caipora, 2021). Notably, the Caipora is no stranger to non-Brazilians interested in the fantasy genre. The Caipora (plural) appear in Harry Potter, in which they are overseers of the students of Castelobruxo wizarding school. Although different versions of the Curupira and Caipora exist, these different versions seem to have a few consistent characteristics.
Interview with my mom, a Brazilian raised in the 1970s and 1980s:
What do you know about the Curupira and/or Caipora?
I know that the Curupira has backwards feet and tricks hunters by making them think that it is walking one way when in reality, it is walking the other. They would sometimes show up in O Sítio do Picapau Amarelo. I know that both of them protect the forest. The Curupira looked scary!
How did you learn about the Curupira and Caipora?
By watching O Sitio do Picapau Amarelo when I was four or five years old. I also learned a lot about Brazilian folklore characters, including both of these, in school growing up.
Here is a YouTube video on the legend of the Curupira:
References
Bagchi, A. (2021, February 10). Understanding Netflix’s Invisible City’s Heroic Curupira Through Its Demonic History In Folklore. Signal Horizon Magazine. signalhorizon.com/knowing-netflixs-invisible-citys-heroic-curupira-through-its-demonic-history-in-folklore/.
Caipora. (2021). Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caipora
Curupira. (n.d.). Myths and Folklore Wiki. mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Curupira#Myth
Curupira. (2021). Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curupira
Peccary: Family tayassuidae. (n.d.). San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Plants & Animals. animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/peccary
Tapirs. (n.d.). National Geographic. www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/tapirs
Tupi People. (2021). Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupi_people
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