These folkloric entities are present in
carnivals and festivals countrywide. The “Desfiles de Mitos y Leyendas” (
parades of
myths and
legends) are an important part of these events in most of the Colombian cities and municipalities. Examples of these parades are the
Barranquilla Carnival,
Cali Fair and
Festival of the Flowers, where the legendary creatures parade takes place in
Medellín's Pueblito Paisa, at the top of
Nutibara hill. Legendary creatures have also been accepted into many facets of
popular culture and the
collective memory. There are those who believe in their existence, claiming to have heard or even encountered them.
The Boraro (The Pale Ones),[1] is a more monstrous version of The
Curupira from
Brazilian Folklore in the mythology of the
Tucano people. Much like the "Curupira" it has backwards facing feet to confuse it's foes and is a protector of wildlife. Beyond its feet however, it is far more grotesque in appearance. It is very tall to the extent it is tree sized, pale skinned but covered in black fur, has large forward facing ears, fangs and huge pendulous genitals. It has no joints in its knees, so if it falls down it has great trouble getting up. It uses two main ways to kills its victims, first its urine is a lethal poison .[2] Secondly, if it catches a victim in its embrace it will crush them without breaking skin or bones, until their flesh is pulp. Then it drinks the pulp through a small hole made in the victims head, after which the victims empty skin is inflated like a balloon and are then sent home in a daze, where they subsequently die. It can be placated by tobacco, but to escape it one can either place their hands in its footprints which will cause its legs to stiffen and temporarily make the monster fall, or alternatively run backwards while facing it, which confuses the monster.[3]
The
Moan is a forest and river creature that protects the forests, steals women and disturbs fishing and hunting activities.
The
Llorona or the Weeping Woman is the
ghost of a woman crying for her dead children that she drowned. Her appearances are sometimes held to presage
death.
The Madremonte (Mother Mountain/Mother of the forest) or
Marimonda is usually regarded as protective of nature and the
forest animals and unforgiving when humans enter their domains to alter or destroy them. She can be identified with
Mother Nature and
Mistress of the Animals. She is described as a beautiful, tall woman, who has hair made of plants and glowing eyes.
The
Hombre Caiman, or Alligatorman, is a legendary creature that possesses both
Alligator and human features. This South American folk tale is particularly popular in
Plato, Magdalena, especially in rural and less populated areas. He is said to have been a
fisherman converted by the spirit of the
Magdalena river into an alligator, that returns every year on
St. Sebastian´s day to hunt human victims, much like the
werewolf.
The evil chicken ("pollo maligno") is an
evil spirit of the forest in the form of a bird that haunts the
hunters, attracting them to the deepest forest in order to devour them.
The
Candileja is said to be the spirit of a vicious old woman, who was in charge of her grandchildren but neglected to teach them any moral principles, so they grew up as murderers and thieves. In the
afterlife she was damned to travel around the world surrounded by flames. It is related to the
Will-o'-the-wisp phenomenon.
The dark
mule or Mula Retinta is an evil spirit that appears before
arrieros as a
pack animal, causing violent winds and storms that make people fall off the precipices at the side of the pathways.
The Bracamonte is a creature who is unseen, yet its bellows are said to make cattle hide in fear. It is said that the only way to protect oneself from a Bracamonte is to nail a stake with a cow skull, as the Bracamonte was said to fear the bones of the cows it would eat.
The Viruñas or Mandingas (the Evil One), is considered a representation of
Satan, and appears as a handsome man who steals the souls of the people.
These folkloric entities are present in
carnivals and festivals countrywide. The “Desfiles de Mitos y Leyendas” (
parades of
myths and
legends) are an important part of these events in most of the Colombian cities and municipalities. Examples of these parades are the
Barranquilla Carnival,
Cali Fair and
Festival of the Flowers, where the legendary creatures parade takes place in
Medellín's Pueblito Paisa, at the top of
Nutibara hill. Legendary creatures have also been accepted into many facets of
popular culture and the
collective memory. There are those who believe in their existence, claiming to have heard or even encountered them.
The Boraro (The Pale Ones),[1] is a more monstrous version of The
Curupira from
Brazilian Folklore in the mythology of the
Tucano people. Much like the "Curupira" it has backwards facing feet to confuse it's foes and is a protector of wildlife. Beyond its feet however, it is far more grotesque in appearance. It is very tall to the extent it is tree sized, pale skinned but covered in black fur, has large forward facing ears, fangs and huge pendulous genitals. It has no joints in its knees, so if it falls down it has great trouble getting up. It uses two main ways to kills its victims, first its urine is a lethal poison .[2] Secondly, if it catches a victim in its embrace it will crush them without breaking skin or bones, until their flesh is pulp. Then it drinks the pulp through a small hole made in the victims head, after which the victims empty skin is inflated like a balloon and are then sent home in a daze, where they subsequently die. It can be placated by tobacco, but to escape it one can either place their hands in its footprints which will cause its legs to stiffen and temporarily make the monster fall, or alternatively run backwards while facing it, which confuses the monster.[3]
The
Moan is a forest and river creature that protects the forests, steals women and disturbs fishing and hunting activities.
The
Llorona or the Weeping Woman is the
ghost of a woman crying for her dead children that she drowned. Her appearances are sometimes held to presage
death.
The Madremonte (Mother Mountain/Mother of the forest) or
Marimonda is usually regarded as protective of nature and the
forest animals and unforgiving when humans enter their domains to alter or destroy them. She can be identified with
Mother Nature and
Mistress of the Animals. She is described as a beautiful, tall woman, who has hair made of plants and glowing eyes.
The
Hombre Caiman, or Alligatorman, is a legendary creature that possesses both
Alligator and human features. This South American folk tale is particularly popular in
Plato, Magdalena, especially in rural and less populated areas. He is said to have been a
fisherman converted by the spirit of the
Magdalena river into an alligator, that returns every year on
St. Sebastian´s day to hunt human victims, much like the
werewolf.
The evil chicken ("pollo maligno") is an
evil spirit of the forest in the form of a bird that haunts the
hunters, attracting them to the deepest forest in order to devour them.
The
Candileja is said to be the spirit of a vicious old woman, who was in charge of her grandchildren but neglected to teach them any moral principles, so they grew up as murderers and thieves. In the
afterlife she was damned to travel around the world surrounded by flames. It is related to the
Will-o'-the-wisp phenomenon.
The dark
mule or Mula Retinta is an evil spirit that appears before
arrieros as a
pack animal, causing violent winds and storms that make people fall off the precipices at the side of the pathways.
The Bracamonte is a creature who is unseen, yet its bellows are said to make cattle hide in fear. It is said that the only way to protect oneself from a Bracamonte is to nail a stake with a cow skull, as the Bracamonte was said to fear the bones of the cows it would eat.
The Viruñas or Mandingas (the Evil One), is considered a representation of
Satan, and appears as a handsome man who steals the souls of the people.