Moratim Morotim

indigenous legend told by professor Henrique José de Souza

Drawing by Pedro Paulo Salles

The place today known as Baixada Fluminense and the entire region that, at the same latitude, comprises the mountains where the beautiful Teresópolis is located, towards Magé, was the stronghold of two powerful tribes: the one that lived in the plain, much larger, was formed by the terrible Caacupês, while that of the mountain, by the Gurupiras or Grupiaras.

The Gurupiras were cruelly persecuted by the Caacupês, whose effort was to annihilate their kind neighbors to the last bud and seize the young Abayú, daughter of Guarantã, chief of the Gurupiras tribe. Abayú lived in “taboo” (*). The shaman of the enemy tribe, called Bagé-Baguá, famous evoker of Anhã and Anhangá, knew about the spiritual privileges of Abayú and had suggested to Cabuna, cacique of the Caacupês, the marriage of his son Apiamir with the beautiful young woman, so that, from this union, the future chief of the Caacupês tribe was born.

However, on the other side, there was someone who watched very closely the “virgin of taboo”. It was Açocê-Bu, his friend, protector and master, shaman of the Gurupiras. Nor could it be otherwise, because in this taboo the ancient tradition was preserved that an envoy from heaven, the great “Cabaru-Tupã”, should marry the beautiful Abayú, from “whose union would be born the future chief of the tribe, who would lead his people to the region of abundance, peace and happiness”.

The birth of Abayú herself had already been announced “by a being of great splendor” to her mother Morira, from whom her daughter had inherited beauty and other predicates, in addition to the spiritual ones, which gave her the right, therefore, to be the “wife of the sent from heaven” and, consequently, the mother of the future head of the Gurupira tribe.

As soon as the virgin turned 16, celestial signs were seen, relating to the first day of the new moon and with Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction. And, like her late mother, Abayú received the warning, made by a splendid being, that her beloved was about to arrive to take her as his wife, after defeating the fierce enemies of the Gurupiras.

Aware of everything, Açocê-Bu communicated the news to Abayú's father, also telling him to warn all the children of the tribe that the moment of the great battle was approaching with the arrival of the one sent from heaven, son of Tupã, whom he would take as wife the taboo virgin, dear and respected by all.

During the three days leading up to the first of the new moon in May, the ritual was carried out in all rigor and the weapons were prepared for the great fight.

On the plain, the caacupês foresaw something unexpected, because in addition to lighting bonfires, which were repeated at great length, calling on the children of the tribe, they danced and sang, making the guarará drumming, blowing the catapuçu and the borés in a truly deafening way…

The sky, until then riddled with stars, began to take on a gloomy aspect: the clouds, curling up, looked like winged serpents wanting to crash on the place where a great and new event would take place in the mortal world.

The children of the Gurupiras tribe, with their chief at the head, flanked by their daughter Abayú and the shaman Açocê-Bu, were formed in three concentric circles. The same thing happened in the sky: the clouds, pressing together, left a large hole in the center, as if there were three rainbows connected at the ends, with the Cruzeiro's stars underneath.

From within the earth, tongues of fire began to rise, as if they were real bonfires, and yellow, blue and red fireballs jumped from one mountain to another.

Below, the terrible clamor of the Caacupês could be heard, who, with their fists turned towards the top of the mountain, shouted, launching the first arrows, as a challenge to the privileged tribe of the Gurupiras.

A rain of stars streaked across the sky in all directions, foreshadowing the coming of the “Knight of the Ages”, the one sent from the heavens, the son of Tupã long awaited by the Gurupiras.

– Yaguababe! Yaguababy! Cabaru-pararanga! Cabaru-pararanga! – exclaimed, in indescribable joy, the children of the Gurupiras tribe.

Then he appeared, right in the center of the three circles, right in front of the “taboo”, the sky knight. Saluting the young woman and blessing the tribe, the great Cabaru-Tupã addressed the shaman and the Guarantã chief, saluting him as “the one who had the grace to be the father of the divine Abayú, daughter of Morira, today in the heavenly kingdom” .

– You are the trunk from which the new race will emerge – he said – of which my son Mora-Morotim will be the guide.

And the sky knight, taking his flaming sword, launched the war cry, which was echoing through the cracks of the mountain, through the forest...

In the meantime, the most daring of the enemy tribe reached the high cliffs, while those who were only on the foothills sent their sharp and poisonous arrows upwards, prepared to annihilate “every last shoot of the Gurupira tribe”. Having witnessed the miracle in heaven, his fury had increased.

However, a strange noise had been heard from within the earth, shaking the mountain itself. And a shower of stones began to fall on the Caacupês. And the larger rocks were followed by smaller ones. The Sky Knight, followed by his army, crashed down the mountain, as if they all had wings on their feet. Always winning, they found on the plain a far greater number of Caacupês, and it was then that the most terrible battle took place. Even so, the enemy tribe was soon defeated, and those who remained retreated to the north.

The privileged people, following their guide, began to climb the ridge of the mountain and, reaching the top, they were received by Guarantã, Abayú and Açocê-Bu, in addition to the twelve chosen warriors, who in no way should abandon the “taboo”. And the wedding ritual took place.

Months later, Mora-Morotim, the future chief of the Gurupiras, was born. Upon completing 21 years of age, at the time when the Cavaleiro Celeste had already disappeared in the same way as he had arrived, Mora-Morotim guided the tribe to the place indicated by secular tradition, which is still called AIURUOCA today. And, as with Tamandaré, during the day Mora Morotim taught the children of the tribe what he learned from the skies during the night…

(*) – taboo: inviolable person or place, as it is considered sacred.

END