View source for Colombian folklore

{{See also|Colombian mythology}}
{{Colombian culture}}
[[File:Marimondasnojoda.png|thumb|right|200px|'''[[Carnaval de Barranquilla]]''' Marimonda characters.]]

'''Colombian [[folklore]]''' are beliefs, customs and [[Culture of Colombia|cultural traditions]] in [[Colombia]].

==Relevancy==
These folkloric entities are present in [[Festivals in Colombia|carnivals and festivals]] countrywide.  The “Desfiles de Mitos y Leyendas” ([[parade]]s of [[myth]]s and [[legend]]s) are an important part of these events in most of the Colombian cities and municipalities.  Examples of these parades are the [[Barranquilla Carnival]], [[Cali Fair]] and [[Festival of the Flowers]], where the legendary creatures parade takes place in [[Medellín]]'s Pueblito Paisa, at the top of [[Nutibara hill]]. Legendary creatures have also been accepted into many facets of [[popular culture]] and the [[collective memory]].  There are those who believe in their existence, claiming to have heard or even encountered them.

==Legendary figures==
[[File:Illustration Lonicera caprifolium0.jpg|thumb|100px|left|[[Lonicera]] plant is associated to the spirit of Madremonte]]
*The [[Tunda]] (La Tunda) is a myth of the [[Pacific Region of Colombia]], and particularly popular in the [[Afro-Colombian]] community, about a [[vampire]]-like [[doppelganger]] monster woman
*The [[Patasola]] or "one foot" is one of many myths in [[Latin American folklore]] about woman monsters from the jungle.
*The Boraro (The Pale Ones),<ref>http://www.mythicalcreatureslist.com/mythical-creature/Boraro</ref> is a more monstrous version of The [[Curupira]] from [[Brazilian Folklore]] in the mythology of the [[Tucano people]]. Much like the "Curupira" it has backwards facing feet to confuse it's foes and is a protector of wildlife. Beyond its feet however, it is far more grotesque in appearance. It is very tall to the extent it is tree sized, pale skinned but covered in black fur, has large forward facing ears, fangs and huge pendulous genitals. It has no joints in its knees, so if it falls down it has great trouble getting up. It uses two main ways to kills its victims, first its urine is a lethal poison .<ref>′′The Rainbow Serpent: AChromatic Piece′′-Ira R Buchler (1978)</ref> Secondly, if it catches a victim in its embrace it will crush them without breaking skin or bones, until their flesh is pulp. Then it drinks the pulp through a small hole made in the victims head, after which the victims empty skin is inflated like a balloon and are then sent home in a daze, where they subsequently die. It can be placated by tobacco, but to escape it one can either place their hands in its footprints which will cause its legs to stiffen and temporarily fell the monster, or alternatively run backwards while facing it, which confuses the monster.<ref>′′Latin American myths and legends′′-Javier Ocampo Lopez (2006), p.183</ref>
*The [[Mohan (legendary)|Moan]] is a forest and river creature that protects the forests, steals women and disturbs fishing and hunting activities.
*The [[Llorona]] or the Weeping Woman is the [[ghost]] of a woman crying for her dead children that she drowned. Her appearances are sometimes held to presage [[death]].
*The Madremonte (Mother of the forest) or [[Marimonda]] is usually regarded as protective of nature and the [[forest]] animals and unforgiving when humans enter their domains to alter or destroy them. She can be identified with [[Mother Nature]] and [[Mistress of the Animals]].
*The Hombre Caiman, or Alligatorman, is a legendary creature that possesses both [[Alligator]] and human features. This South American folk tale is particularly popular in [[Plato, Magdalena]], especially in rural and less populated areas.  He is said to have been a [[fisherman]] converted by the spirit of the [[Magdalena river]] into an alligator, that returns every year on [[St. Sebastian]]´s day to hunt human victims, much like the [[werewolf]].
[[File:Inia.png|thumb|200px|1883 drawing of [[Boto]]. The [[Amazon river dolphin|pink dolphin]] is feared by the indigenous people as a mischievous spirit of water]]
*The Mohana (La Mojana) Mother of water or [[Mami Wata]] is a [[shapeshifting]] [[water]] spirit who usually appear in human form to seduce and take away the humans.  In the [[Amazon basin]] this features are applied to the [[Amazon river dolphin|Pink dolphin]]s representing the spirit of [[Amazon river]]. The discography of [[Music of Colombia#Traditional music|Colombian folkloric singer]] [[Totó la Momposina]] includes works about the Mohana.
*The evil chicken ("pollo maligno") is an [[evil spirit]] of the forest in the form of a bird that haunts the [[hunter]]s, attracting them to the deepest forest in order to devour them.
*The Candileja is said to be the spirit of a vicious old woman, who was in charge of her grandchildren but neglected to teach them any moral principles, so they grew up as murderers and thieves. In the [[afterlife]] she was damned to travel around the world surrounded by flames. It is related to the [[Will-o'-the-wisp]] phenomenon.
*The dark [[mule]] or Mula Retinta is an evil spirit that appears before [[arriero]]s as a [[pack animal]], causing violent winds and storms that make people fall off the precipices at the side of the pathways.
*The Viruñas or Mandingas (the Evil One), is considered a representation of [[Satan]], and appears as a handsome man who steals the souls of the people.

==See also==
*[[List of Reportedly Haunted Locations in Colombia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*http://www.colombiaaprende.edu.co/html/estudiantes/1599/article-73649.html

{{Colombia topics}}

[[Category:Latin American folklore]]
[[Category:South American folklore]]
[[Category:Colombian folklore| ]]
[[Category:Folklore by country]]
[[Category:Folklore by region]]