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B is for Brazil

April 2, 2016 By Claire Annette Noland 20 Comments

B is for BrazilBrazil-iara-mermaid-stone-small

 

Brazil is home to a mermaid named Iara who, according to Tupi Indian mythology, is considered to be the “Mother of the Rivers.” She is beautiful with dark hair and green eyes. She uses her enchanting voice to lure men into the water where they drown. Iara is said to appear on the shores of lakes and rivers.

The Tupi legend says that Iara was a beautiful warrior whose brothers were very jealous of her because their father showered her with praise. They planned to kill her, but she heard about the plan and killed them first. Iara fled into the woods but her father chased her and threw her into the river as punishment. The fish in the river saved her and, because it was a night with a full moon, she turned into a mermaid.

She is often blamed for the deaths of people who drown or disappear. To this day, natives of the Amazon region fear her and do not venture near water when there is a full moon.

Doing research, I have discovered many sites about mermaids. It is wonderful to see the diversity of these legendary creatures and I plan to showcase as many cultures as I can.

I came across this Brazilian children’s book which I would love to add to my growing collection of mermaid books:

brazil Iara book

 

While searching images, I found the website, Rejected Princesses. The creator, shares the story of Iara with this accompanying illustration:

brazil princess

In the art notes, graphic artist Jason Porath, explains:

  • Since the myth is associated with the Tupi people, I made Iara look like them – the face and arm paint are from pictures I found, so hopefully whatever meaning they might have is accurate. I read about some specific Tupi warrior tattoos, but was unable to verify what they looked like, so I stayed away.
  • In the stories, her hair is often described as green because of the algae.
  • The setting is the actual river she’s reported to live in.
  • Her fish half is based off of the look of a Brazilian guppy. They have such beautiful fins!

If you have a moment, I suggest that you visit Jason’s blog to learn the fantastic history of many overlooked legendary women.

Have you ever heard of the mermaid Iara?

 

Filed Under: Blogging A to Z, Books, Mermaids, Places Tagged With: Blogging from A to Z, Brazilian Mermaid, Iara, Jason Porath, Rejected Princesses

« A is for Atargatis, Assyria, Aquamarine, and Aqualiscious
C is for Columbia »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor says

    April 2, 2016 at 11:19 am

    I’ve never heard of the Tupi people and found the backstory behind the artist’s approach to illustrating the book really fascinating.

    Cheers – Ellen | http://thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com/2016/04/b-is-for-boatyard-nancy-drew.html
    Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor recently posted…B Is For Boatyard | Nancy Drew Investigates {A To Z Challenge}My Profile

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 3, 2016 at 3:37 pm

      I’m amazed by the diversity of mermaid lore. Thanks for joining me on this journey!

      Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 3, 2016 at 3:44 pm

      I am fascinated to learn about the diversity of the mermaid world!

      Reply
  2. Tarkabarka says

    April 2, 2016 at 12:30 pm

    I love the Rejected Princesses illustration 🙂 And I also love South American river myths. Another favorite of my is the boto, the pink dolphin that turns into a handsome man…. 🙂

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    The Multicolored Diary
    MopDog
    Tarkabarka recently posted…B is for Beauty, Body, and IdealsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 3, 2016 at 3:45 pm

      I just learned about the pink dolphins. I’m going to look up the boto story. Thanks for the suggestion!

      Reply
  3. Trine Grillo says

    April 2, 2016 at 3:05 pm

    Very interesting! I will definitely visit the Rejected Princesses site.

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 3, 2016 at 3:46 pm

      There are great stories about so many women and legends that are not well know. It’s a great resource.

      Reply
  4. Shalini R says

    April 2, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    That’s a great story! Thanks for sharing, Claire! 🙂
    Happy AtoZ!
    Shalini R recently posted…Living Out of the Box #AtoZChallengeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 3, 2016 at 3:46 pm

      Thanks for joining me!

      Reply
  5. Pam says

    April 2, 2016 at 9:10 pm

    I, too, have done some limited mermaid research. It seems that many cultures enjoy mer-lore. My research included African ancestral mermaids so from Africa and many Caribbean Islands. Learning is so FUN!

    Thanks for being Awesome!
    Pam recently posted…Bad Girls Book Club Letter B #atozchallengeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 3, 2016 at 3:48 pm

      The diversity in he mermaid world is fascinating and I am looking forward to highlighting mermaid legends that aren’t well known. Thanks for swimming along with me on this journey.

      Reply
  6. JazzFeathers says

    April 3, 2016 at 8:03 am

    Never heard of this mermaid. But… gulp… my boss’s name is Lara. Sould I worry?

    @JazzFeathers
    The Old Shelter – Jazz Age Jazz
    JazzFeathers recently posted…Blues (AtoZ Challenge 2016 – Jazz Age Jazz)My Profile

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 3, 2016 at 3:48 pm

      Ha! Maybe you should worry just a bit…

      Reply
  7. Sandra Cox (@Sandra_Cox) says

    April 3, 2016 at 5:42 pm

    this is a great one. I hadn’t heard of her before. Thanks for sharing.
    Sandra Cox (@Sandra_Cox) recently posted…A-Z…BalineseMy Profile

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 3, 2016 at 8:59 pm

      Hi Sandra, I’m learning about mermaids that I have never heard of, either. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  8. Sandra Cox (@Sandra_Cox) says

    April 3, 2016 at 5:45 pm

    Hope my comments are coming through….

    Reply
  9. evelyne holingue says

    April 3, 2016 at 6:06 pm

    You’re embarking a challenging challenge! I’m amazed to read so much about mermaids. Great job, Claire.
    evelyne holingue recently posted…All These Little French and American Words…My Profile

    Reply
  10. Random Musings says

    April 3, 2016 at 11:36 pm

    Fantastic legend, I enjoy reading about other cultures story’s. I find mermaids particularly interesting because they appear in so many cultures in one form or another
    Debbie
    Random Musings recently posted…Anything Goes Linky Week 39My Profile

    Reply
  11. Cynthia says

    April 4, 2016 at 7:32 pm

    I don’t know if I’ve heard of Lara by name, but I might’ve recalled hearing that there are mermaids who lead people to their deaths.
    Cynthia recently posted…C: Christopher Pike & CHAIN LETTERMy Profile

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. A Reading Field Trip- Destination: Brazil says:
    August 28, 2016 at 4:20 am

    […] You might also like:                                                                      B is for Brazil […]

    Reply

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Hello. I’m Claire Annette - reader, writer, teacher, and field trip planner extraordinaire. Here at A Field Trip Life you will find ideas for adventures large and small and the kids’ books that inspire them. Sign your permission slip. Let's go!

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