Bolivian Myths: The 9 Most Popular And Strange

Discover with us the 9 most amazing Bolivian Myths in this dazzling culture, learn about these incredible legends.

Bolivian Myths
Bolivian Myths

Myths Of Bolivia

Bolivia’s mythology is as colorful and extraordinary as its 36 ethnic cultures. Each Bolivian culture has its own mythology and legends, many of which speak of the origins, beliefs or history of a people. One of the most interesting things is to hear these legends told in a native language, such as Aymara or Guarani, as the narration is often accompanied by native rituals.

The most popular and strange myths of Bolivia integrate religious beliefs such as catholic with indigenous bases. The outstanding legends of this country are: the goblins, the guajojó, the jichi, the woman who became a bird, the guardian genie, among many others. This country is characterized by its diverse mythology and rich culture. Its culture has been adapted by the predominance of an enormous variety of ethnic groupings that have populated its territory, and the European trace marked by the Spanish colonization.

Because there are so many cultures in Bolivia, there are literally hundreds of Bolivian legends. Here in this article we will show you the 10 most popular and bizarre myths of bolivia.

Bolivian Myths 
Bolivia’s Most Popular And Strange Myths

1. The Legend of Imaybé and Iniguazu Chiriguana

According to Bolivian mythology, Imaybé and Iniguazu were a couple of the Chiriguano tribe that fiercely resisted the Spaniards from the beginning of the colonization period. Imaybé was the daughter of the cacique and Iniguazu was one of the bravest warriors of the tribe. They were married and expecting their first child. One day, Spanish troops raided the village, set fire to everything and killed men, women and children.

The Chiriguan warriors defended themselves bravely, but were overwhelmed by superior weaponry and many fell in action, among them Imaybe’s father and husband. She was in the last month of her pregnancy and ran into the forest in a desperate effort to save her son’s life, praying to the god Tumpa for help.

Imaybe and Iniguazu Chiriguana
The Legend of Imaybe and Iniguazu Chiriguana

Tumpa heard her pleas and turned her into a toborochi at the very moment when a group of Spanish soldiers were about to fall on the survivors who were running to kill them. In this way, mother and son were saved by disguising themselves as a tree, well protected by the round trunk and the thick and strong roots of a toborochi.

2. Bolivian Myth of Lake Titicaca

The Apus or gods of the mountains according to the myths of Bolivia, had placed the people in a fertile valley where they prospered under their protection. Life was good and people were happy, things would remain so as long as they obeyed the only prohibition of the Apus: they would never climb the mountain where a sacred fire burned perpetually.

Legend of Lake Titicaca
Legend of Lake Titicaca

The people obeyed, but the Devil was not happy to see them, and persuaded them to compete among themselves to see who was brave enough to defy the gods and climb the forbidden mountain. They all agreed to go in search of the sacred fire but unfortunately, the Apus captured them halfway up, exterminated them and sent pumas to eat those who stayed in the valley.

This Bolivian myth narrates that upon seeing the destruction of his creatures, Inti the sun god wept for so long that he flooded the valley. Only one couple survived this torrent of tears in a reed boat. Once the flood passed, they found themselves in the middle of a great lake, which had drowned the pumas sent by the Apus, turning them into stone statues. The couple decided to name the lake Titicaca, which in their language means “lake of the stony pumas”.

3. The legend of creation in the Bolivian Myths

These Bolivian legends and myths narrate the beginning of all life where the god Viracocha created an Earth without light, inhabited by giants who did not respect or obey him. Enraged by their behavior, he sent a great flood that exterminated all life on the planet. Then, he decided to create new people, in a shape and size similar to his own, to instruct them he sent a delegate named Viracochán.

The legend of creation
The legend of creation

This was a wise man who taught humans all the techniques, skills and healing methods necessary for life, the Bolivian myth says that he founded the city of Cuzco (Peru), created a person from whom the Quechua people descended and prophesied the arrival of a great empire ruled by them. Not all humans respected Viracochán. Some mocked him and turned to stone.

Once he fulfilled his mission on Earth, the divine envoy entered the waters and disappeared.

4. Bolivian Myth of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo

Another Bolivian myth tells about 2 heroes called Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo. The Bolivian myth tells that when they saw the deplorable state in which humans lived, the sun god Inti decided to create a couple and send them to Earth to create a civilization. They appeared from the sparkling waters of the Titicaca, walking above the waters to the Island of the Sun, in the middle of the lake, with a golden rod in their hands that would show them the place where the new civilization would begin.

Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo
Legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo

The couple went to a place called Huanacauri, where the golden rod was planted in the ground this was the ideal place and disappeared. Then the man Manco Capac began to teach the men agricultural and animal husbandry skills, while his sister and wife Mama Ocllo instructed the women in housework and child rearing. The Inca emperors claimed that they were descended from this couple and, therefore, from the sun god himself.

5. Legend of the whistling bird

The silbaco according to Bolivian mythology is a bird with a strange call and whose appearance is said to be so striking that those unfortunate enough to see it can lose their hearing or suffer heart attacks. The Bolivian myth says that initially the sound of this bird sounds like a whistle, but as it gets closer, it becomes a heart-stopping screech.

This is one of the myths of Bolivia that says there was a hard working man, who had a wife and two children. He made a living selling wood and was prosperous, but one day he began to feel sick and started to suffer small transformations until he finally became a very strange creature, half man and half bird.

His frightened wife asked the local priest for help. The priest did everything he could but nothing could stop the metamorphosis of Pedro who became a bird, ugly, black in color and with a high-pitched call that the villagers called Silbaco; as Pedro had been known for his penchant for whistling. This Bolivian myth says that the unfortunate man was now a bird who fled into the forest, never to be seen again.

It is said that on dark nights his call was heard, but he was rarely seen.

6. Bolivian Myth of the Tunupa volcano and its son Colchani

This is one of the myths of Bolivia that tells that in ancient times, volcanoes could walk and talk, all of them were male, except one called Tunupa which was a woman. This volcano became pregnant and gave birth to a small volcano whose father was unknown. The male volcanoes had a terrible fight over who the father was, since they had all had a relationship with the female volcano, so they snatched the young volcano and hid it in a distant plain called Colchani.

Tunupa volcano
The legend of the Tunupa volcano and its son Colchani

Furious about this, the gods decided that the volcanoes would no longer walk or talk and would remain still as stones.

According to Bolivian mythology, when they heard that they could no longer move or go in search of their son Thunupa. Thunupa began to cry white and milky tears that flooded the plain and formed the salt plains of Uyuni. Her son, the little volcano Colchani, is surprisingly similar to her, and also laments not being able to go to see his mother.

7. The Destruction of Huari and his Bolivian Myths

The Bolivian myths that speak of the destruction of this deity tell that there was an evil god called Huari who decided to confront the Urus tribe for having followed the path of good. He sent plagues and monsters like snakes and toads to destroy the population. But the Virgin of Socavón came to his aid and fought with the god until he fled and hid where no one else could find him.

This Bolivian mythology does not have many ancient references that fully affirm this story, but it is considered one of the strangest Bolivian myths. It has coincidences between the catholic religion and the indigenous beliefs.

The Destruction of Huari
The Destruction of Huari

8. Bolivian Myth of Oboish

In the myths of Bolivia there are also beliefs of diseases similar to the evil eye, but deadly called “oboish” or “malpuesto”. This evil can only be cured by witches who sell their souls to the devil. Remedies range from holy water to whips with ribbons made of animal skin.

Oboish Bolivian Myths
Oboish

9. Bolivian Myths about Elves

Elves or goblins are recurring characters in Bolivian myths. The different versions speak of white clothes, hats and other particular attire, but all agree that they are children whose eyes show evil.

Elves of Bolivia - Bolivian Myths
Elves of Bolivia

These Bolivian myths say that these creatures died before being baptized and now it is playing tricks. Some stories state that it has an iron hand and with it it hits whoever it finds; other stories associate it with murders.

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