El Pombero
Source: Cultura del Paraguay and
I thought to tell you about Paraguay’s mythology, it is part of its vast culture and beliefs and the characters are quite interesting.
Today I will tell you a little bit about
He is one of the genies of the nature, one of the most popular in the guaranitic region. The more antique notice that we have about Pompero is that he is the protector of the birds that appeared in the forest to young hunters as a very tall and thin man.
But the modern versions in general describe him as a short man with a cane, he exchanges big services for food and tobacco. You can become friends with Pombero if you leave him on some tobacco on the base of a tree. He can be a powerful ally or an unbearable troublemaker. He can help you with the crop or with love affairs if he is your friend.
Among his favorite activities are steeling eggs, chicken and honey, frightening horses, scattering corn, rice or other provisions.
Another interesting quality is that it is said that the Pombero is able to imitate the sounds of various forest creatures. Most specifically it is believed that the Pombero can imitate birdsong, especially those of a nocturnal variety, and as such is viewed as something of a protector of the birds.
The Pombero is also often accused of impregnating single women either by a mere touch of his hand or by raping them in the night. Another character from Guaraní mythology, the Kurupi, is blamed in a similar manner for unexpected or unexplained pregnancies. The Pombero is difficult, if not impossible, to detect due to his silent movements as well as other supernatural abilities, such as being able to turn invisible, squeeze through impossibly narrow spaces, or other such feats.
His name in Guarani is Kuarahy Jara that means Owner of the Sun.
Jorge Martinez, says that in Paraguays and guarani society, the Pombero has a bigger meaning which is that he is responsible of the birth of extra marital children, and it is said that babies who are born ugly and hairy are likely the result of a visit from the Pombero
This myth still exists not only among people without education but also among students says Jorge Martinez.
He also says that is a mistake to think that myths are something that happened in the past and not as something living that nowadays is still current in living experiences.
I will try to talk about the different characters in coming posts…each of them has its own characteristics, are they real? could be! that is something I can’t tell, but Guaranitic mythology characters they are much human than other mythology with all these super fantastic and supernatural powers.
February 22nd, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Fascinating. . . I have heard a lot of these in Spanish but I would love to hear you talk about them and reflect on their meaning in English. I look forward to seeing more.
February 24th, 2008 at 2:37 am
Oh, please do share more of this!
March 16th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Thank you. Paraguay certainly has a very marvellous treasury of folk tales. I wonder if you use the work of Leon Cargodan at all as reference. He was a descendent of the Australian colonists in the late 19th century.