O Curupira: MEMÓRIA E IDENTIDADE NO MITO AMAZÔNICO

Abstract

THE CURUPIRA: MEMORY AND IDENTITY IN THE AMAZONIAN MYTH

ABSTRACT: The Curupira, a fantastic creature that populates the Amazonian imagination, is known as a great defender of the flora and fauna, capable of confusing and even killing unwary people who enter nature in order to commit violent acts against trees and animals. Narratives featuring this central character have been (re)told for centuries, acquiring unique perspectives each time they change. When we analyze the primary sources, more precisely the 19th century periodicals published in the city of Cametá, in the interior of the province of Grão-Pará, we saw the publication of a fiction prose about the interaction between a girl and the Curupira. It is interesting to note that there is no mention of the Curupira as a protector of the forests, since he appears as a figure who seduces and impregnates the young woman. Therefore, this work sought to analyze the tale in question, in order to identify the memory and identity of this Amazonian myth and, more specifically, the re-reading and updating in the narrative published in the city of Cametá.

Keywords:  Fiction Prose; 19th century; Amazonian legends; Cametá newspapers.