the Curupira

poem by Ruth Salles

Chalkboard drawing by Verônica Calandra Martins

Abanhenhenga, abanhenhenga, abanhenhenga…
Curupira comes from afar,
comes from afar, from Nahua,
who told the caribbean,
who told the tupi,
curupira do ax
of tortoiseshell…

protector of virgin forest,
all hunting always hides.
Hunter is intrigued:
– Hunting down? At where? At where?

Curupira does good,
do evil according to whom.

If someone through the woods
medicine seeks,
learn the secret
of the healing plant.
Who gives and who takes?
It's the curupira.

eared tapuio,
elongated nose,
hairy skin,
of peeled coconut.
backwards,
confuse the floor.
– Are you coming or going?
I don't know how to decipher.

"I'm walking, walking
by my way.
come after me,
come walking, walking!

Che uatá, uatá,
ce rupi snuff,
ce rakakuera
yure uatá uatá.”

***