Iara (mythology): Difference between revisions

[[File:Palacio Alvorada commons.jpg|thumb|right|200pxupright=1.2|"The Iaras", bronze sculpture by Cheschiatti, at the [[Palácio da Alvorada|Alvorada Palace]]]]

[[File:01 - Divulgação de Lendas Brasileiras - Iara.jpg|thumb|right|The mermaid YaraIara in an official commemortive stamp by the Brazilian post office (1974).]]

According to the oral taletales, Iara is a beautiful young woman, sometimes described as having green hair, light brown or copper-colored skin (aslike that of an Indigenous Amerindianperson from Brazil, or of a {{lang|pt|[[caboclo]]}}), and brown eyes, with a tail similar asto a freshwater [[Amazon river dolphin|river dolphin]], manatee, or fish body (the Tupi word ''y'' did not have a distinct meaning, being used in general for any riverine or freshwater lacustrine place) who would sitsits on a rock by the river combing her hair or dozing under the sun. When she felt a man around, she would start to sing gently to lure him. Once under the spell of the Iara, a man would leave anything to live with her underwater forever,<ref name="todamateria">{{cite web|url=https://www.todamateria.com.br/lenda-da-iara/|title=A história da lenda da sereia Iara (The story of the legend of the mermaid Iara)|language=pt}}</ref> due to the fact that she was pretty and would cater for all the needs of her lover for the rest of his life. Other versions indicate that she slew the men andor drowned them.

According to the oral tradition of Brazilian folklore, Iara was a beautiful young indigenousIndigenous woman in a tribe of patriarchal customs, who developed a talent for warfare and gaininggained admiration from all of her tribe and respect from her father,<ref name="escola">{{cite web|url=https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/folclore/iara.htm|title=Iara (Mermaid Iara)|language=pt}}</ref> the chief of the tribe, but stirred uparoused the envy of her brothers, who decided to sabotage her by murderingmurder her during the night. The legend says Iara knew how to defend herself from the attacks of her brothers' attacks and accidentally killed them.<ref name="sohistoria">{{cite web|url=https://www.sohistoria.com.br/lendasemitos/iara/|title=Lenda da Iara (Legend of Iara)|language=pt}}</ref> Discovered by her father, she took refuge in the woods but was captured and punished for the murders of her brothers by being drowned in the river. (someOther versions orals claim they killed her and dumped her body in the river, blamingand blamed the night goddess, Jaci, for her disappearance.<ref name="todamateria" />). Turned into a mermaid upon being saved by nearby fish on the night of a full moon or by Jaci in some versions, she decided to take revenge on all men by seducing them and drowning them in the river. According to some folkloric accounts, those who survive end up going crazy,<ref name="Educa+">{{cite web |url=https://www.educamaisbrasil.com.br/enem/artes/lenda-da-iara|title=Conto popular do folclore brasileiro - Lenda da Iara (Popular tale of Brazilian folklore - Legend of Iara)|language=pt}}</ref> or survive with teeth marks on their neck.<ref name="Banes">{{cite book|last=BANE |first=Teresa|title=Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology|date=7 July 2010|language=en|isbn=9780786444526|publisher=McFaland & Company, Inc.}}</ref>''

It is often claimed that, until the 18th century, the Iara legend did not pertain to the image of a seducingseductive, docile river [[mermaid]]. Instead, it was originally about an aggressive and monstrous river [[merman]] known as Ipupiara ("freshwater monster"<ref> {{IPA-|pt|ipupiˈaɾɐ|}}in Portuguese phonological rules; by that [Pre-[[History of Portugal (1640–1777)|Pombaline]]] time, most Brazilians still spoke {{lang|pt|[[língua geral|línguas gerais]]}}.</ref>), whichwho would readily devour fishersfishermen.

Iara is immortal (like the nymphs of [[Greek mythology]]), but many of her lovers do age orand die. It means that, theso Iarashe is condemned to live most of eternity alone.

The legend of the Iara was one of the usual explanations for the disappearance of those who ventured alone ininto the [[Rainforest|jungle]].

The Iara is similar in nature to several other folkloric female figures of folklore from other regions such asof [[LaLatin LloronaAmerica]] fromsuch Mexico and the Southwestern United States,as the Colombian creatures La [[Patasola]] and the ''[[Tunda]]''. andThey theall [[Deerfunction Woman]]as ofsirens Northleading America.men to Alltheir deaths, though the Patasola and Tunda are femalesspecifically whoforest atspirits timesand functionthe asTunda sirensdoes leadingnot target only men toand theircan treat the people it kidnaps deathnicely.

[[Yara (given name)|Iara (or Yara)]] is a very popular female name in Brazil.

* {{cite journal |last1=Macedo |first1=Tarcízio |last2=Filho |first2=Otacílio |title=[Dos rios à tela de cristal líquido: o retorno do mito e a arquitetura da cultura convergente em League of Legends] |trans-title=From the rivers to the LCD: The return of the myth and the architecture of convergence culture in League of Legends |language=Portuguese |journal=Fronteiras – estudos midiáticos|date=May-AugustMay–August 2015 |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=231231–247|doi=10.4013/fem.2015.172.10 |doi-247access=free }} http://revistas.unisinos.br/index.php/fronteiras/article/view/fem.2015.172.10

[[Category:GuaraníWomen legendary creatureswarriors]]