Saci (Brazilian folklore)

The Saci or Saci - pererê is a popular figure in Brazilian mythology. He is a goblin -like creature with black skin and only one leg. He smokes a pipe and has a magical red cap, with which he may at any time appear and disappear (usually in a swirl of dust ).

Depending on the region, he was a good or bad nature and, accordingly, the stories were embellished as a model or deterrence. In his malevolent variety of Saci served as a bogeyman for the slaves and farm workers ( Caboclos ).

Regional variations are Saci - trique ( light-skinned and friendly ) and Saci - SACURA ( with red eyes).

According to its distribution area in the south, it is assumed that the roots of Saci myth associated with the Christian missionary. There are also links to Yaçi - Yaterê suspects, also a leprechaun -like figure from the mythology of the Tupi- Guarani, which appears as a one-legged child with fire- red hair.

At the beginning of the 20th century emerged, mainly due to publications by Monteiro Lobato, the theory of Saci myth have a real background. A search for evidence of the real existence of the Saci will indeed run, but the seriousness of the effort is not to be compared with the search for the Yeti or Bigfoot.

As a national counterpart to the American Halloween there in Brazil since 2005 on October 31, the slide do Saci, the "Day of Saci ".