Jurupari

Lore & Background

In Tupi religion, Jurupari is a forest spirit embodying forces of nature, capable of bringing nightmares, asphyxiation during sleep, sleep paralysis, or misfortunes to those who disrespect the laws of nature or society. During the catechization process in colonial Brazil, missionaries adopted the name Jurupari to translate the concept of Satan, creating a God vs. Devil dualism that did not exist in original native mythology. At the time of the first Europeans in Brazil (16th century), Jurupari was the most widely worshipped god among the Tupinambá, who dominated the Brazilian coast. The French Franciscan friar Claude d'Abbeville recorded in 1614 that the Tupinambá believed Jurupari persecuted the 'cowardly and effeminate,' who would reside with him in the afterlife, and that Jurupari was associated with warlike virtues.

Reader's Guide

The Legend of Jurupari is a foundational Amazonian myth, known from a version written in Nheengatu by indigenous Brazilian Maximiano José Roberto at the end of the 19th century and translated into Italian by Count Ermanno Stradelli. The legend explains the birth of the hero Jurupari, son of the Sun and the star-goddess Ceucy, and his role as a civilizing hero who establishes laws and rituals. Jurupari's name means 'the one who covers the mouth,' because men would keep the secrets of his religion. The myth is central to traditions such as the laws of Jurupari (or laws of the Sun), the ritual of Jurupari, and the sacred flutes and masks of Jurupari. The story also reflects gender roles and prohibitions, as women were excluded from important matters after a transgression. The legend was common knowledge in tribes of the Colombian-Brazilian Amazon, especially in the Vaupés River basin, and was transmitted orally.

Did You Know?

• Jurupari's name means 'the one who covers the mouth' in Nhengatu.
• The legend of Jurupari is one of the great pre-Columbian texts that have survived, along with the Popol Vuh.
• At the time of the first Europeans in Brazil, Jurupari was the most widely worshipped god among the Tupinambá.
• The French Franciscan friar Claude d'Abbeville recorded in 1614 that the Tupinambá believed Jurupari persecuted the 'cowardly and effeminate.'