5 mythical characters and popular legends of Peru

By having an important cultural legacy that brings together diverse customs, traditions and beliefs in its three regions, Peru has produced innumerable ancestral chronicles and urban legends that have been transmitted from generation to generation. Its main characters are natural elements taking all kinds of scenarios like lagoons, forests, beaches, rivers and mountains.

Some are about fantastic characters or supernatural phenomena, others evoke terrifying stories or go back to very ancient times, but all are characterized by having a mystical and religious content, which has allowed them to last over time. Now, we share 5 of these legends.

The enchanted bull

The beautiful Razuhuillca lagoon, located in Huanta, is the scene of this popular legend of Ayacucho. The story tells that in this place lived a big and violent black bull that sometimes came out of the depths causing destruction and flooding in the entire town. Tired of this situation, the villagers made a plan to stop the animal.

That is how an old woman, knowing her delicate state of health, decided to sacrifice herself in order to contain this wild species. After a ritual, the woman threw herself with a huge cage of thick iron bars enchanted to the bottom of the lake. There, she found the animal asleep, and as she could, she introduced it inside the cage. This brought peace and tranquility to the inhabitants of Huanta who knew that their worst enemy was locked in the depths of the lake.

However, one day, the bull managed to break free, which caused the flood of the town. Given this, the villagers had no choice but to re-tie the bull and keep an eye on it so that it does not escape again. From that moment, the people live in constant vigilance that the enchanted bull doesn't flood the city of Huanta again.

Huanta city, where the Razuhuillca lagoon is located, in Ayacucho. Credit: Juan Puelles / PromPerú.

The Chullachaqui 

A demonized being that lives in the Peruvian Amazon is the character of this popular legend. Among his many powers, he has the ability to imitate the physical appearance of any close friend or relative of his victims. His deceit is so convincing that the victim is unable to remember whether the person is alive or not, or far away.

While both are walking, the Chullachaqui takes the opportunity to make conversation and, in this way, make the unfortunate traveler go deeper and deeper into the forest. Then, the creature leaves the person in the middle of nowhere in order for him or her to slowly die. The elders of the Peruvian Amazon describe this character as an old dwarf with a sinister face covered in wrinkles.

The chullachaqui marks two completely different footprints on the ground: one human, and the other similar to that of an animal. That is why its name in Spanish means "unequal-foot goblin".

A demonized being that lives in the Amazon is the character of this popular Amazonian legend.
Credit: Shutterstock.

The tunche

The Peruvian Amazon is not only full of exotic species, but also of mysteries and legends that leave its visitors speechless. One of them tells the ancient story of the tunche, better known as the evil spirit of the forest. This is the Amazonian version of the typical western ghost.

Generally, he is a man tormented by evil and whose soul, dented by hate, wanders in the dark chasing away his victims. They say that when the tunche approaches, a sharp whistling is heard, which announces the death of the listener. Now you know: if you are in the middle of a nocturnal expedition and you hear the whistling of the tunche, better run to a safe place.

The tunche is also known as the evil spirit of the forest. Credit: Ojo.

The Runamula 

This is another popular legend of the Peruvian Amazon. The Runamula is, according to the legend, a half-human and half-quadruped creature that rides through the villages in search of people who have had improper behaviors.

Another version of this legend tells that the woman who was transformed into this mythological beast, sometimes becomes a human being again without remembering what happened. This is because her mind remained in a trance state during the transformation.

The Myth of Cuniraya Huiracocha

This pre-Hispanic legend tells the story of Cuniraya Huiracocha, a god of the countryside who habitually disguised himself as a beggar. He wears deteriorated suits and looks unkempt. One day, walking through the Pachacamac Sanctuary, he crossed paths with Cahuillaca, the most beautiful young woman in the place, and fell in love with her at first sight.

Cuniraya approached her to introduce himself, but the beautiful girl ignored him.

One day when the young woman was weaving under a lucuma tree, the god took the opportunity to turn into a bird and put his germ in one of the fruits. The young woman took that very fruit and tasted it.

After nine months, Cahuillaca gave birth to a baby, and after taking care of her for a year, she decided to gather all the gods (huacas) in order to find out who the girl's father was. All of them went very elegantly dressed to the meeting, except for Cuniraya Huiracocha. Given the refusal of the attendees to recognize the little girl, Cahuillaca placed her daughter on the floor and allowed her to move to where her father was. That is how the girl approached and hugged Cuniraya.

Outraged after seeing that scene, Cahuillaca did not hesitate to carry her daughter and run to the sea of Pachacamac to throw herself into the water with the child. Cuniraya Huiracocha tried to stop her, but was unsuccessful, so both were turned into two islets, which can be seen in front of the beaches of Pachacamac, in the south of Lima.

Cuniraya Huiracocha was a country god who usually disguised himself as a beggar. Credit: Facebook Cajamarca en el tiempo.

Sources: Psicología y mente / Leyenda de terror / Andean Travel / Sobre leyendas / Ojo

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