Caipora

Caipora ( ) or Caapora (Kaapora ) is a forest spirit or humanoid and guardian of wildlife or game in Brazilian folklore. The word "Caipora" comes from Tupi and means "inhabitant of the forest" and perhaps may be traced to Kaagere (also meaning "forest dweller" and an alias of anhanga) of the Tupi-Guaraní mythology, but this is far from definite. Caipora is variously represented as a dark-skinned, small Native American girl (caboclinha) or boy ( ), a dwarf or large-sized hairy humanoid or beast. It is often said to ride an animal such as the peccary and is armed with a stick or whip made of certain plants. It takes bribes of tobacco and alcohol and sometimes also has a pipe. Its description varies greatly depending on the region or source. It is sometimes confused with Curupira, which is another mythological creature who protects the forest, but it is also amenable to comparison with other mythical creatures (Saci, Pé de garrafa) with which it may share certain traits.

]] Caipora ( ) or Caapora (Kaapora ) is a forest spirit or humanoid and guardian of wildlife or game in Brazilian folklore. The word "Caipora" comes from Tupi and means "inhabitant of the forest" and perhaps may be traced to Kaagere (also meaning "forest dweller" and an alias of anhanga) of the Tupi-Guaraní mythology, but this is far from definite. Caipora is variously represented as a dark-skinned, small Native American girl (caboclinha) or boy ( ), a dwarf or large-sized hairy humanoid or beast. It is often said to ride an animal such as the peccary and is armed with a stick or whip made of certain plants. It takes bribes of tobacco and alcohol and sometimes also has a pipe. Its description varies greatly depending on the region or source. It is sometimes confused with Curupira, which is another mythological creature who protects the forest, but it is also amenable to comparison with other mythical creatures (Saci, Pé de garrafa) with which it may share certain traits.

Pop culture references

In the children's TV series Castelo Rá-Tim-Bum, Caipora is a regular character. In this version is characterized as a female creature with a big red fur and a black mask. She has the ability to teleport when hear whistles and sometimes demonstrates wild aspects. In the 2001 TV adaptation of Sítio do Picapau Amarelo the character was introduced between the last two seasons as a regular character. In Harry Potter, the Caipora protect the magical school Castelobruxo in Brazil. They are described as small, furry, and extremely mischievous. Artes do Caipora em Cordel, an illustrated children's book written by the poet and folklorist and illustrated by Luciano Tasso, was published in 2013¹. The story accounts as a hunter who disobeys his father by going to hunt on a holy day; he finds the Caipora, who resuscitates all the animals that he slaughtered. In Legend Quest: Masters of Myth, the Caipora makes an appearance on the episode of the same name. In Arthur Conan Doyle's 1912 book The Lost World Native tribes used the term Curupuri or Spirit of the Wood to describe the mysterious plateau where prehistoric dinosaurs and ape-men lived and the goal of the expedition.

See also

, alias of pora mentioned above -creator god in Tupi-Guarani mythology, also created Caapora Nisse - Scandinavian brownie, also fastidious about its porridge offering, and accepts coarse woolen material as gift.

Explanatory notes

References

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370186751 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.