Guaraní mythology: The seven sons of Taû and Kerana

 

A passage from guaraní mythology, which tells the story of Taû, a warrior who abducted Kerana and was cursed by the goddess Arasy. The curse manifested itself in the form of seven monstrous sons, each with particular abilities and attributes. The sons include Teju jagua, an iguana-dog with seven heads, Mbói Tu'î, a giant snake with the head of a parrot, Moñái, lord of the fields and birds, Jasy jatere, a little man with golden hair and a golden wand, Kurupi, dominator of the jungle and sensuality, Ao-Ao, lord of fertility, and Luison, lord of the night and cemeteries. Guaraní mythology is rich in fascinating stories that offer a window into the world of South America's indigenous cosmovision.

Once upon a time, there was a granddaughter of Sypãve in the tribe. She was the beloved daughter of Marangatu, a girl of extraordinary beauty who spent her days sleeping. That's why they called her Kerana (sleepyhead). She was Marangatu's only child and the charm of the household, the personification of sympathy, and the tribe's idol.

The evil spirit Taû had silently fallen in love with her and transformed himself into a handsome young man to pay her a visit. After frequent visits, he attempted to kidnap her, but Angatupyry, the spirit of good, intervened just in time to protect her. They engaged in a fierce battle that lasted seven days and nights, taking place on a large field. Taû, feeling defeated and exhausted, called for the help of his old grandfather Pytajovái, the God of valor, who carried the fire of destruction in his belly. He had no rivals, and his breath emitted flames that troubled him and filled him with anxiety.

There was a beloved granddaughter of Sypãve in the tribe, who was the spoiled daughter of Marangatu. She was a girl of extraordinary beauty, but spent her days sleeping, so they nicknamed her Kerana (dormilona). She was the only child of Marangatu and was the personification of sympathy, the idol of the tribe.

The evil spirit Taû had silently fallen in love with her and transformed into a handsome young man to woo her. After seven days of frequent visits, he attempted to kidnap her, but Angatupyry, the spirit of goodness, intervened just in time to defend her. They engaged in a fierce battle for seven days and seven nights in a large field. Taû eventually became exhausted and considered himself defeated, so he asked for help from his old grandfather Pytajovái, the God of valor, who had no rivals and breathed flames that even made him uneasy.

This brave warrior defeated Angatupyry and took over the field, allowing Taû to kidnap Kerana, which caused justifiable outrage among the people, who begged and pleaded with Arasy for the exemplary punishment of the kidnapper.

The goddess heard their prayers, and her own anger manifested in a terrible curse against Taû. This curse was soon to be fulfilled.

After seven full moons or seven months, Kerana gave birth to the first monster, a seven-headed iguana-dog. This was followed by subsequent births every seven months, resulting in the seven myths known in Guaraní legends to this day.

They are: Teju jagua (iguana-dog), Mbói Tu'î (snake-parrot), Moñái, Jasy jatere, Kurupi, Ao-Ao, and Huicho (Luisón), which was the seventh child.

These misshapen beings, born of a demonic nature, revealed their true selves from a young age and inspired general terror. Their inclinations were soon revealed through the following attributes:

Teju jagua (iguana-dog) or Jaguaru is the embodiment of the myth of forced inaction due to the deformity of its body, with its seven heads making any movement impossible. It was the most horrible due to its ugliness. Its eyes emitted flames, but Tupã did not grant it the ability to develop its ferocity. Instead, it was docile and harmless, feeding on fruits, while its brother Jasy jatere provided it with bee honey, its favorite food. It was considered the lord of caves and protector of fruits.

Mbói Tu'î (snake-parrot) was the second child of the evil union, a snake with colossal shapes and a parrot head. Its domains extended to the wetlands, and it was the protector of amphibians, dew, humidity, and flowers.

Moñai - Lord of the fields, the air, and the birds: protector of theft and all trickery or cunning.

Jasy jatere or Jasy Atere (fragment of the moon); a little man with golden hair, lord of naps, owner of a golden wand that made him invisible, protector of Ka'aruvicha or magic herb and bees.

Kurupi - The prototype of sensuality, dominator of the jungle and wild animals. His virile member was of an enormous length.

In the mountains, there is a type of vine with the name of Kurupi rembo, as a confirmation of what was said.

Ao-Ao - Lord of fertility. He was considered as the ruler of hills and mountains. Tradition tells that he lived like boars in cannibal and voracious herds, chasing people. When they tried to escape, by climbing trees, he and his herd surrounded them, shouting in unison: Ao-Ao, Ao-Ao. Then they uprooted the trees and overturned them to take their victims. Those who climbed the palms were saved, as if these plants had a virtue against them.

Juicho, Luisón, or Luvisón - Seventh son of Taû and Kerana; lord of the night and companion of the Fates. His dominion extended over cemeteries, and he fed on the flesh of the deceased.

These seven-year phenomena reached their maximum development at the age of seven, and among all of them, Kurupi was the one who caused the most trouble, as he dedicated himself to abducting virgins. The most beautiful of them would disappear mysteriously and soon after, they would be found pregnant, ready to give birth after seven months. However, since the offspring were of evil origin, if they were to live, they would set the world on fire with their misdeeds. But Tupã decreed that after seven days of being born, their umbilical cord would decompose, leading them to die from the "seven-day illness" (tetanus).

Among the seven sons of Taû, Moñái was fond of theft and located himself in a cave in Yvyty kuape (51), now called "Cerro Kavaju" in the department of Atyrá. In that cave, Moñái accumulated the products of his plundering. The vandalistic acts of these brothers created a state of extreme nervousness among the people, a breeding ground for discord sown by their evil influence. They hated each other, blamed each other, armed themselves, poisoned their arrows, set fire to forests and crops. There were murders here, rapes there, and houses burned down everywhere. Old men, children, and women, possessed by collective hatred, fiercely attacked and killed each other.

But then, the great prophet Tumê appeared on the scene, determined to put an end to this state of affairs. He summoned the Avare (priests), chiefs, and other prominent residents of the town to an Amandaje (assembly) and asked them to help him put an end to this collective tragedy. They were invited to attend the Ñemono'ongáva  or Cabildo, located in Atyra, which also means a meeting place, where Tumê would speak on that occasion.