Curupira and Caipora: the role of elemental beings as guardians of nature

Abstract

Indigenous peoples and traditional communities prioritize social and interactive relationships between humans and nonhumans in which natural beings like animals, plants, fungi, rivers, waterfalls, rocks, caves or mountains are imbued with spirits, subjectivities and reflective awareness. According to the cosmological perceptions of different cultures, elemental or enteal beings directly or indirectly act in the regulation of anthropic activities, guiding the behavior of individuals who enter various natural spaces for activities such as hunting, fishing, gathering, cultivation and recreation. This review of the literature in the Google Scholar and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) databases from January to July 2021 addresses the entities that act as guardians of nature and resources, especially animal species that are hunted. Special attention is directed to two of the best-known protective entities in Brazil: Curupira and Caipora. The combination of spirituality and ecology is essential to understand and support local beliefs and, in turn, implement ecologically-based strategies for rational conservation of natural resources and maintenance of the rich biocultural heritage associated with them.