Little Gray People of the Amazon Rainforest

No this is not an UFO account with big headed critters from other space, but in fact reports of a mysterious species of humanoid creatures that supposedly live on the Amazon.

The Amazon Rainforest is know worldwide as the biggest rainforest in the world, but case you don’t know, here’s a quick summary

The Amazon rainforest also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This basin encompasses 7,000,000 km2 (2,700,000 sq mi), of which 5,500,000 km2 (2,100,000 sq mi) are covered by the rainforest. This region includes territory belonging to nine nations.

Artist rendering of the Curupira

Jumping to the Cryptid stuff, The Curupira as know in Portuguese (and Caipora by Spanish) is the oldest legend from Portuguese Folklore and probably the most famous, it was first accounted in 1560 by Portuguese Explorer José Anchieta when conversing with natives:

“Here in the forest, the Tupi tell it’s also home of demons who they call Curupira, whose attack natives on sight and everely wonds them, but don’t kill”.

The Spanish also have accounts on the little devil, whom they call Caipora (or El Cipitío) instead of Curupira. In some regions of Brazil, the creature is also know as Caipora.

In legends, The Curupira/Caipora is described as a master of the woods (almost a ninja of the Rainforest) it has absolutely hatred for hunters and for those who mistreat the wildlife, with the ability to move quickly and reproduce the sounds of the forest, it scares hunters, causing them to leave the woods hastily. Sometimes, the entity modifies the paths and trails to cause the hunters to get lost in the forest, so that the person can be lost forever, or at least for a few days. Whomever it won’t hesitate to kill those who disrespect nature. Sometimes it’s depicted as being cannibal in nature, with great liking for for eating wildlife.

The creature is mostly described as children sized (sometimes hairy), with browish or green skin, pointed ears, big eyes and long ginger hair, often seeing carrying a spear and the most know feature: backwards feet. Descriptions vary from region to region, but depictions are often the same. They are excellent tree climbers and when not on trees, they are said to mount on wild boars. The Curupira is know to a master of stealth, watching people from the dark and it would run away on sight. Hunters would say that "You just can't chase it."

Despite being regarded as Folklore, natives and those who live in the region actually believe the creature is real (or at least was, since most reports were from decades ago). Here are some reports i could gather (they were hard to come by):

My maternal family comes from the interior of Pará, where I live. Supernatural things are often heard, especially years ago, when, back then, electricity was still something unusual. Almost ten years ago, my uncle and my grandfather, who still lived in the interior, sent word to my grandmother here in the capital, and told her a story that had mobilized all the relatives and residents for days on end.

On an ordinary day, my uncle and his family performed their daily chores normally, without noticing that one of their four-year-old sons moved away from the house to the woods behind the house. How and why the child left, until then was a mystery. Time passed and whe they realized something was wrong, they went to the neighbors to ask if anyone had seen the child. Anything. Nobody saw. The community then mobilized to search for the child, as there was no police available on the region.

Three days went by and nothing came of the child, until that, at the end of the third day afternoon, in the middle of the forest, the child appeared walking towards his house, all dirty on soil and with some leaves and flowers on his hair, wearing only underware and disheveled. She was holding a vine, curiously seemed to have been tied to the trunk of the tree closest to the house until losing sight of what was inside. Everyone rushed to aid the child, who was in fact unharmed and calm. After the care was taken they asked to the child what had happened. That's where the heard strangest thing ever.

According to the child, she got lost in the woods, when he began crying for help, then, the child told he was helped by the woman with "backwards feet" and that he followed her into the woods. He said that this woman took him inside a tree, where her house was, and there she took care of him as his mother. He also said that she made a bed of leaves and that it was she who guided him back home ... He described the woman as having red hair.

It is curious, because everyone believed that it was the Curupira, a creature of the same characteristics from the story, and that had already been sighted by hunters in the region, since it was once a common activity in the interiors for subsistence.

Report given by Cindy R. 2014.

A statue of the Curupira

It was six o'clock on a Friday afternoon, and a bad hunting day. I was on my way when I heard other hunters saying that they saw a small brunette girl with long hair, whom they said it was a Caipora.

Either way, I decided to wait on top of a tree to hunt a deer, after a while i checked the ground when I noticed that two "caboclinhos" appeared, cutting the tree down me. They were terrifying, with red hair, big eyes and scary faces while whistling to me. I didn’t think twice, I jumped from the tree and ran as fast as I could back home. I was completely terrified by the experience. The next day I returned to the place, carrying a piece of smoke, and noticed the tree was the same, that is, it had not been cut. From that day on, I never saw the creature anymore, but i always remember it’s whistle.

He also claims that a relative of his also had an encounter with the Caipora, and that beyond the Caipora, the old hunter says he has seen a torch of red fire on the woods at night and on another occasion, a lightning-like reflection.

Testimony given by José Soares to Zulene Galdino in 2007. Zulene also says she had been in contact with a Caipora when she was a child when living in farm at Chapada do Araripe, Piauí. She described the Caipora as female with long hair and voice like that of a parrot.

Sources for the interested

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a reply to: Frocharocha

Thanks for the thread. Love this stuff.

As far as the Curupi? Any dude who can wrap his junk around his waist three times is a force to be reckoned with.

Found one.


Kidding aside, this is pretty interesting. It could be some kind of lost tribe of pygmy people with hair matted with red mud or paint.

Sounds like something out of "Lord of the Flies".

Thank you.

The face of the statue looks exactly like Chewbacca.

a reply to: ABNARTY

Lol..That little fella could do the humpty hump with someone in the next tree...

The Amazon is one of those places on Earth that could easily hide a species of cryptid, or other mysteries.

a reply to: PorteurDeMort

You can be sure there are undiscovered species there.

Interesting OP

Clearly those are the Oompa-Loompas.

originally posted by: wylekat
The face of the statue looks exactly like Chewbacca.

That’s the ugliest Wookiee I’ve ever seen, and I’ve had the “pleasure” of seeing the Star Wars Christmas Special! Boy George screws the pooch on that one, it’s hard to decide whether it or Howard The Duck are worse. I’m leaning towards the Duck, it’s still available whereas the Xmas Special was subjected to Lucas trying to scrub it from the planet. I remember George...what’s been seen can’t be unseen...

a reply to: Frocharocha

Interesting!
When I saw the image and statue of the "Curupira" it immediately reminded me of the "Tikoloshe" of African folklore. Same description, although unlike the Curupira, the Tokoloshe is not a good climber. Some people in rural areas still put their beds on bricks, because apparently that makes the bed just high enough for the little man to reach. I think one of the most distinct features they have in common is the ginormous manhood...

... The sexual prowess of the Tokoloshe is well noted – Berglund’s informants stated that he “has an exceedingly large male member which, due to its size, has to be carried over the shoulders and around the neck”.
...

And a family-friendly version:



It's always quite curious when the same (or similar) legends pop up in different countries in societies that (supposedly) didn't have contact...

Reminds me of the "El Duende", one Source

So how could mom's funny threats about El Dueno del Monte scare anyone and keep him out of the bush? El Dueno del Monte was another name given to El Duende. Those who saw him said he was about 3 feet tall and wore a wide brimmed hat. Sometimes he wore a red hat and animal skins for clothing. Dad said that El Duende protected the animals in the bush and would get very angry when little boys killed birds without a reason.

A small backward foot as well, humanoid leprechaun/goblin-like creature.

a reply to: Frocharocha

Awesome OP. This is what ATS is about.

So not waiting for someone to figure out how this thing voted...

a reply to: Frocharocha

Thank you, that was an interesting read! This is what I come to ATS for and the stuff of what ATS used to be before politics took over.

I wish Josh Gates had conducted an investigation on this while he was still doing Destination Truth. Granted, they never found any kind of concrete proof, EVER, but it would have been an enjoyable watch.

Three(3) times?!?!?!

Anyone remember this one? Don't let Thirdphasemoon throw ya. They just regurgitated this video.

Supposedly of a Columbian Hunter killing a woods creature.


Youtube

Couldn't imbed due to age sign in.

a reply to: GuidedKill

Looks tasty.

Ill fire up the grille...

when i look at it, i see Hobbit man.

originally posted by: CreationBro
a reply to: GuidedKill

Looks tasty.

Ill fire up the grille...

Sounds good, I'll gut and debone the little critter. Soak him in a brine to keep in the natural moisture and dust it's nasty ass with some spices. Frocharocha you and Gemwolf bring the sides and RowanBean and ABNARTY are in charge of drinks.

ATS wood people BBQ here we come!!

No facial hair, dick in a holster.. He's just Amazonia midget..

As far as the Curupi? Any dude who can wrap his junk around his waist three times is a force to be reckoned with

What would even be the biological purpose of that? LOL....