Discover all Brazilian folklore and its 4 regions💫

When we talk about folklore, each person has a memory, after all, each region has a specific influence. Therefore, it is the combination of all brazilian folklore that makes our culture so rich.

But what about all Brazilian folklore?

In each part of Brazil we have different cultural influences, and the same story can have slight variations, according to the place. Furthermore, a culture is not built on legends alone.

If you want to know more about the origin and history of all Brazilian folklore, continue here.

All Brazilian folklore: what is folklore?

The word folklore comes from the junction of two English words, ‘folk‘ and ‘lore‘. Folk means people, or popular, and lore means culture, or knowledge about a particular subject.

Thus, the term folklore means popular wisdom, and it is in it that we can find not only legends, but also songs, games and dances. Everything that constitutes a culture.

The word folklore first appeared in a letter sent to the British magazine The Athenaeum. This letter was sent by a writer named William John Thoms on August 22, 1846.

This being the first time that the term was used, the Brazilian National Congress, in 1965, made the 22nd of August official as the day of folklore, and it is on this day that we most spread and celebrate all Brazilian folklore.

Certainly, Brazilian folklore tends to be a little scary, due to its dark and sadistic origin stories. That made us have nightmares as a child, even did you know that dreaming about myths and legends can reveal a lot about you?

So make an appointment with one of our experts in dreams and meanings. And discover your connection with mystical beings.

Folklore by regions

Brazil is an extremely mixed country in the cultural sense, and this has been going on since the time of the country’s colonization.

Each region had a higher concentration of a certain culture, and that’s how different folk legends came about.

There are some legends that are famous across the country, such as:

• pink button;
• Cuca;
• Curupira;
• Iara;
• Werewolf;
• Headless mule;
• Saci Pererê

Many of the legends emerged with the intention of controlling people, especially children.

Of course we have many creatures that protect nature and animals, but we also have those that take away disobedient children.

Some creatures arise from people’s sins, such as the Headless Mule. However, there are two more common variations of this story.

In the first, the Headless Mule is a woman who has suffered a curse because she had sex before marriage, and the only way to break the curse is to be wounded by a spear.

In the second, she is a woman who had a relationship with a priest, and God’s wrath turned her into that creature for tempting a being who was in her work.

In this version, the woman transforms into the Headless Mule, runs from Thursday to Friday, and only returns to normal when the rooster crows three times.

Let’s now see some legends from the different regions of the country, and which cultures have influenced all Brazilian folklore.

North region

The northern region has its greatest influence coming from the indigenous culture. The legend of the northern region best known in Brazil is that of the pink dolphin.

According to legend, the pink dolphin comes out of the water on party nights. When leaving the river, he transforms into a very handsome man, and when he arrives at the party, he attracts family girls and ‘takes away his purity’.

The legend was often used to warn young women of the consequences that could follow from listening to young strangers.

Even today, when the paternity of some children is unknown, they say that she is the daughter of the boto.

In addition to the pink dolphin, the northern region also has several others, such as:

• Curupira;
• cassava legend;
• legend of the amazons;
• Royal victory.

northeast region

As well as the northern region, the northeast also has a great influence of indigenous culture in its folklore. The best known legend is that of Papa Figo, or Bag Man. The legend of Papa fig was often used to scare disobedient children.

According to legend, Papa Figo, or Bag Man, was a ragged old man who walked around with a bag on his back, and in that bag were the bones of disobedient children. Legend said that he walked the streets and took children who did not obey to eat his liver.

The northeast region also has several other legends, such as:

• the enchanted city;
• goddamn comadre;
• the legend of the Alamoa;
• the legend of Quibungo;
• the red beard.

Midwest region

Of all Brazilian folklore, that of the Midwest region is the one that most reflects local nature. While others talk about creatures and gods, or the people themselves, the folklore of this region has a lot of its own environment.

The most common legend is that of the Dry Body. According to legend, he was a man who was so bad in life that neither God nor the Devil wanted him after his death. So his body was left wandering the earth without being able to pay for the many sins he committed.

In some places it is also known as the Crusher, where it is the soul that wanders rather than the body.

From this region we also have:

• the mother of gold;
• it pulls out tongues;
• the pari worm;
• the bottle foot;
• the water business.

Southeast region

The Southeast region has a lot of influence from indigenous and African cultures, and from their legends, the best known is the Werewolf, and it is also the one with the most variations, not only in Brazil, but around the world.

Despite the differences between the versions, there is one thing that never changes, the Werewolf always transforms on full moon nights. In his wolf form, he hunts at night, and loses all traces of humanity no matter what crosses his path.

In addition to the werewolf we also have:

• the bogeyman;
• the Headless Mule;
• the Chibamba;
• the legend of the mass of the dead;
• the legend of the loving waterfall.

South region

The folklore of the southern region is, of all Brazilian folklore, the one that has more cultures in its influence. In it we can find indigenous, African and European influences.

Of the legends of this region, the best known is that of Cuca. A witch with yellow hair and an alligator face. She never sleeps and is always watching over the children. Those who don’t obey their parents are taken by Cuca when she sleeps.

In addition to Cuca, we have other stories that are also very well known:

• Saci Pererê;
• Aho, Aho;
• the shepherd boy;
• the legend of João de clay;
• the legend of yerba mate.

Part of all Brazilian folklore is concentrated on indigenous and African roots. And that are very studied by spiritism. For in this religion past lives and reincarnation are considered. Where the lives of ancestors directly influence their current reality.

And if you would like to know who you were in your past life and how your spirit has crossed generations, make an appointment with one of our experts in spiritualism and reincarnation, and discover your purpose in this time.

See you in the stories, see you later!