Anhangá

Anhangá (Tupi: añánga, meaning spirit) is a spirit in Brazilian mythology that often protects animals (especially the females and young ones) and tends to appear as a white deer with red eyes. One legend involves an Indigenous person who tortured a young fawn so the screams would attract the mother. When she came near, he killed her just to realize that the Anhangá had used an illusion and he had just killed his own mother.

For the species of beetle, see Anhanga.
Not to be confused with Anhanguera.

In the mythology of the Tupi (a tribe of indigenous Brazilians) of pre-Columbian America, Anhangá are the general spirits that wandered the earth after death, tormenting the living. They could take any shape, but the deer with fiery eyes is the most known.[1]

According to some myths, Anhangá protected animals against hunters. When the prey could escape, the Tupi would say that Anhangá had protected them and helped them escape. Often mistaken for Anhanguera due to the words being similar, however the Anhangá is not considered a devil, though it was feared.

Christian version of the myth

The Jesuit catechists of the Indians used the word Anhangá to refer to the Christian demon. This on account of Anhangá (which means "old soul") is similar to the term "Anhanguera", which means "old devil". Meanwhile, in indigenous mythology, the one who most resembles the Christian devil is Jurupari, the evil spirit.

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See also

References
  1. Michaelis : moderno dicionário da língua portuguesa. Silva, Adalberto Prado e., Michaelis, H. (Henriette), 1849-, Companhia Melhoramentos de São Paulo. [São Paulo, Brazil]: Melhoramentos. 1998. ISBN 8506027594. OCLC 39985943.CS1 maint: others (link)
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