Nguruvilu

Nguruvilu

The Nguruvilu "fox snake" (also: Guirivilo, Guruvilu, Ñuruvilu, Ñirivilu, Ñivivilu, Ñirivilo o Nirivilo; from Mapudungun ngürü "fox" and filu "snake") is a creature found in the Mapuche mythology of Chile.

Legend

The Nguruvilu originates from the native Mapuche people. It is a river-dwelling creature and looks much like a strange fox, with a long body, similar to a snake, and a long tail with fingernails that it uses like a claw; but it's a water-being. Nguruvilus live in and are the cause of dangerous whirlpools which kill people who try to cross rivers. The creatures make the water shallow on either ford, to encourage people to try to cross it making it seem safe. However, the only safe way of crossing a river with a Nguruvilu is by boat. The only way to get rid of a Nguruvilu is to get a machi "shaman" or a good kalku "sorcerer". The kalku is to be offered gifts in return for the service of Nguruvilu removal. The kalku (who may be male or female) wades through the river until he or she reaches the whirlpool and henceforth dives in. Afterwards she swims to the surface having captured the Nguruvilu in her arms with her powerful magical abilities. She then proceeded to threaten the creature with a sharp long knife or cuchillo (Spanish for knife) and threaten to mutilate the animal if it ever harms another person trying to cross the waterway. The Kalku then releases the Nguruvilu back into the water. It is important that this act is witnessed by everyone from the area. Then usually a great celebration is held and no one must fear crossing the waterway ever again. The whirlpool or whirlpools shrink and then disappear, and the fords become even shallower, making the crossing safe enough even for the frailest old woman or youngest child. It is believed the creature moves its business elsewhere, probably to torment the peoples downstream at the next popular river crossing. There is a common bedtime story about the kalku and the Nguruvilu which was included in the book Folk Tales From Chile.

See also

References

  • Sperata R. de Saunière. Cuentos populares araucanos y chilenos: recogidos de la tradición oral. Biblioteca popular Nascimento. Editorial Nascimento, 1975. (Spanish)



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Folk Tales from Chile — is a compilation of Chilean folklore and children s bedtime stories written by Brenda Hughes and illustrated by Dick de Wilde. It totals 15 stories The White Cloud s Daughter, The Pincoya s Daughter, The Magic Cow, The Girl who turned to Stone,… …   Wikipedia

  • Kalku — or Calcu, in Chilean folklore and the Mapuche mythology, is a sorcerer or shaman, usually but not necessarily an evil one. The essentially benevolent shamans are more often referred to as machi , to avoid confusion with the malevolent sorcerer.… …   Wikipedia

  • Underwater panther — Underwater Panther, George Gustav Heye Center, National Museum of the American Indian An Underwater panther is a powerful creature in the mythological traditions of some Native American tribes, particularly Anishinaabe tribes, the Odawa, Ojibwe,… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Chile-related topics — This is a list of topics related to Chile. Those interested in the subject can monitor changes to the pages by clicking on Related changes in the sidebar.Chile* ChileArchaeological sites of Chile* Easter Island * Monte VerdeEaster Island* Aku Aku …   Wikipedia

  • Mapuche mythology — The beliefs of the Mapuche and their mythology, stories about to the world and creatures born of the extensive and old religious beliefs, next to a series of common legend and myths that belong to the different groups that compose the Mapuche… …   Wikipedia

  • Folk Tales from Chile — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Folk Tales from Chile es una compilación de cuentos infantiles del folklore de Chile escritos en inglés, por la autora chileno norteamericana Brenda Hughes e ilustrados por Dick de Wilde. El libro traduce para el… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Guirivilo — El Guirivilo (de nombre en mapudungun ngürü: zorro y filu: culebra, zorro culebra ), también conocido como Ngurvilu, Nguruvilú, Guruvilu, Ñuruvilú, Ñirivilu, Ñivivilu, Ñirivilo o Nirivilo, es un animal acuático presente en la mitología mapuche.… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Mapuche religion — The beliefs of the Mapuche and their mythology, stories about to the world and creatures born of the extensive and old religious beliefs, next to a series of common legend and myths that belong to the different groups that compose the Mapuche… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”