Parintins Festival 2026: understand the Amazonian legends that will be told by the bumbás The 2026 Parintins Folklore Festival promises to take a deep dive into the mystical roots and ancestry of the Amazon to Bumbódromo. Among the bets of the artistic directors of the Caprichoso and Garantido oxen for the season, two narratives gain absolute prominence in this year's songs: the legend of Curupira, the supreme guardian of the forest, and the odyssey of Pindova'úmi'ga, the mythological saga of the shaman and ancestral warrior of the Parintintin indigenous people. 🔍Considered one of Brazil's greatest cultural heritages, the Parintins Folklore Festival is a popular festival that celebrates Amazonian culture and the centuries-old rivalry between the Caprichoso and Garantido ox-bumbás. In 2026, the traditional dispute takes place on the 26th, 27th and 28th of June. In addition to the visual spectacle, this year's compositions are based on dense anthropological and historical research, transforming folklore into a manifesto of environmental preservation and exaltation of original peoples. (See the legends below). Curupira Trail - Boi Bumbá Caprichoso "Your swirling feet will form a haunt, haunt, haunt" 🎶 Boi Caprichoso's new tune builds an engaging narrative that mixes suspense and social criticism, set in the depths of the Amazon Rainforest. The inspiration is the legend of Curupira. Described as a boy with red hair and feet facing backwards, Curupira is considered the guardian of forests and animals. According to legend, the inverted feet serve to confuse hunters and invaders, leaving tracks that indicate the opposite direction to that in which it actually follows. According to popular tradition, Curupira protects nature by punishing those who hunt for fun, illegally cut down trees or disrespect the forest. Although in the popular imagination Curupira is often reduced to a "story to scare children", anthropology and history see the narrative from another perspective. The first written mention of the entity was made by the Jesuit priest José de Anchieta, in 1560. At the time, under the colonizing and Catholic gaze, the Jesuits described him as a "demon" who terrorized the indigenous people. The song is full of verses that make direct reference to the classic character of Brazilian folklore, as in the excerpt “Where does the whistle come from?”, which refers to Curupira's tactic of confusing hunters and invaders with sharp and unpredictable sounds. The explosive chorus “Fogo de Curupira! Let it run!” marks the work as a cry of resistance. The composition of Boi Caprichoso reinterprets the guardian of the forest through symbols of indigenous cosmology. The inverted feet, described in the verse “Your swirling feet will form a haunting”, represent the power to mislead anyone who tries to follow your tracks. In the second half, the song turns into an ecological manifesto. The excerpt “Tears the forest alive, the chain monster” denounces the use of steel chains dragged by tractors — one of the most destructive practices of illegal deforestation. Lenda do Curupira will be presented by Caprichoso during the 2026 Parintins Festival Art: Bruna Azevedo/g1 Pindova'úmi'ga - Guaranteed Bumbá Ox "In the second heaven, he will become Yvá'gan'ga... the people who came from heaven are Parintintin." 🎶 Boi Garantido's new tune delves into the mystical origins of the Amazon and celebrates indigenous spirituality. In the belief of the Parintintin indigenous people, Pindova'úmi'ga is a great shaman chief. Legend has it that the indigenous warrior traveled between the sky and the depths of the waters to create the Yvága'nga, the people of the sky, who manifest themselves through smoke, walk through the waters, transform into sacred animals such as the jaguar and act as protectors of the forests and waters of the Amazon. According to the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA), the legend was spread among people originating from the Madeira, Maicí and Ipixuna rivers, in Amazonas. It delves into the shamanic journey of the warrior who crosses the three worlds — the sky, the underground river and the earth — in search of the ideal place to build his okara, the central square that symbolizes the heart of the village. The poetic narrative describes his spiritual metamorphoses: dressed in armor made of stingray skin and sharp scales, the hero dives into the Amazonian waters to uncover the secrets of the enchanted fish. Upon returning to the surface, he transforms into a jaguar, facing visions and forest spirits. But, as the lyrics remind us, “in every corner of the earth there were already owners and guardians”, and the shaman needs to seek another destination. Guided by Kawnadu, the divine harpy, he crosses the barrier between worlds, reaching the "second heaven", where he builds his village. Pindova'úmi'ga's Odyssey will be presented by Garantido during the 2026 Parintins Festival Art: Bruna Azevedo/g1 READ ALSO: Parintins Festival: who are the 21 items that defend Caprichoso and Garantido in 2026 Parintins Festival 2026: with hotels full, house rentals reach R$247 thousand Residents of Parintins prepare their own homes for rent