The 7 Guaraní myths
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Ao Ao

Imitates his cry: ao, ao, ao

BoquerónPresidente HayesCentralAsunciónAlto ParanáItapúaÑeembucúMisionesAlto ParaguayConcepciónAmambayCanindeyúSan PedroCaaguazúCordilleraCaazapáParaguaríGuairáTeju JaguaMbói Tu'ĩMoñáiJasy JatereKurupíLuisónAsunción

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Where it livesHills of Amambay

Saga Colmán speaks of hills and mountains. Amambay is the place this saga chooses.

HabitatHills
How it movesHe runs in packs and digs the ground
Fear
Cunning
Speed

Scores made up by this saga, for fun.

Domain
Lord of fertility, of hills and mountains
When
No set hour: when the cry repeats
Watch out
Climb a palm tree. It is the only tree he cannot bring down

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The mini tale

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Saga

A cry is heard in the forest. Better not go near.

Variant

There is a creature that looks like a sheep. But it hides something more.

Saga

And when the cry repeats, the forest closes in.

Variant

Its name is Ao Ao.

Variant

It has a sheep's body, a boar's head and claws made to destroy.

Saga

It is fierce. It does not chase you, it surrounds you.

Tradition

And if someone climbs a tree, it digs up the ground, brings the tree down and devours them.

Variant

It is never alone. They come in packs. Its children are many and as fierce as it is.

Tradition

But there is a way to be saved: climb a pindó, the sacred palm.

Tradition

The Ao Ao cannot dig up its roots or bring it down. That is where it stops.

Tradition

The Ao Ao is the sixth child of Taú and Keraná.

Saga

It has more brothers, all feared. That is why its name is still heard in the forest.

The video

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Video narrated in Spanish.

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Sixteen frames, as in stop motion. Slide to animate.

Ao Ao

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What is tradition and what is art?

  • Tradition

    It is the sixth child, lord of fertility and of hills and mountains.1

  • Tradition

    It unearthed trees to reach people, but those who climbed a palm were saved: that plant had a secret virtue.1

  • Tradition

    The Ao Ao was already in folklore before Colmán, as a being of its own.2

  • Variant

    Some tales describe a giant fanged sheep, others a peccary or boar. This saga blends both.34

  • Variant

    Colmán says palm, without naming the species. The pindó appears in later tellings.14

  • Variant

    Its many children appear in some local traditions. Not all of them agree.43

Sources for this myth
  1. Narciso R. Colmán (Rosicrán), Ñande Ypy Kuéra / Nuestros antepasados (1929, versión castellana 1937). Texto en Portal Guaraní
  2. Mitos y Más, «Tau y Kerana: los siete monstruos guaraníes y su autor»
  3. Wikipedia, «Ao Ao»
  4. Mythlok, «Ao Ao»

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