Mapinguari (마핑구아리)

GiantBrazil · South AmericaLegendFear 7/10

Description

Terrifying one-eyed giant of the Amazon, possibly a folk memory of the extinct giant ground sloth (Megatherium). Has a second mouth in its belly, impenetrable hide, and emits a stench so foul it incapacitates prey. Some indigenous accounts describe it as a shaman cursed with immortality

The Legend

Mapinguari is a mythical being passed down in Brazilian folklore, also known as 'Brazil's Bigfoot.' This creature is described as a monster that eats people, emitting a terrible odor, covered in hair, and possessing claw-like nails and backward-facing feet. It also has a large mouth on its belly and a single eye like a cyclops. Mapinguari is believed to primarily inhabit the forests of Pará, Amazonas, and Acre. This creature is said to consume its victims starting from the head and is described as chewing slowly. Mapinguari is reported to be nocturnal, crepuscular, or active during the day, lurking in the dim light of the deep forest before launching an attack. It announces itself with loud cries, instilling fear in humans.

Variants

Mapinguari is known to the Karitiana people as Kida harara (the laughing beast), Kida so'emo (the beast with a black face), or Owoj/Owojo (the grandfather of motherhood or the son of a mother's brother). It is also referred to by the name Juma, and Candace Slater distinguishes between these two beings but groups them together as types of Curupira. Some authors also associate Mapinguari with the Segamai of the Machiguenga people in Peru.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Mapinguari" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia