Written by Samuel Phineas Upham
The Amazon is home to the most biodiversity on the planet. The layers of the rainforest each hold their own breeds of creatures that all thrive on different aspects of the rainforest itself. The natives of the area tell several myths and tales about the region to try and explain the world around them or form a narrative perspective on why they are here in the world. Here are just a few of those myths.
El Tunchi
It is said that the people who live and die in the rainforest become part of el tunchi, the roaming spirit that protects the jungle. The wind blowing through the trees carries a short tune, and if you return the tune the spirit will present itself to you. If you have respected the forest, the spirit will merely scare you and move on. However, if you have mistreated the forest dire consequences await you. According to the locals, the best bet you have is to simply ignore the whistle to begin with.
La Lupuna
There is a story that a woman was hiking through the jungle when she heard nature’s call. She relieved herself on a lupuna tree, and promptly began experiencing abdominal pain and extreme bloating. She sought the help of a shaman when doctors failed to help her. He explained that the woman was being punished for disrespecting the lupuna tree. The shaman went into the jungle to search for the moody tree, taking some of its sap to form a potion for the woman. As soon as she drank the potion, the story goes that she recovered almost instantly.
