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The Myth of Ucumar - Argentina

UCUMAR

THE MYTH OF
Story on "Ucumar" program
Stories and Legends (Channel 11) Salta - Argentina.
May, 2009
Atty. Fatima Imaru Andean Bear Research Lameda

imarulameda@gmail.com

In pre-Columbian mythology the spectacled bear was revered as a great mediator by which people and their challenges passed from one condition to another, a role undoubtedly stems from the huge elevation range of the spectacled bear (between the dark forces that inhabit the forest and the upper world lit mountain peaks, between good and evil, between illness and health, between harvest and rebirth and the jungle) (Randall, 1982)

A proof of this veneration of the Andean bear ( Tremarctos ornatus) in South America are presented in the festival Qoyllur Ritler (Peru) where people are dressed Ukukus (bears ) to the top of the mountain at midnight and reach the summit of Mount Colquepunku, a sacred place, home of the protective spirits of the Indian. In Colombia is present within the U'wa culture or Tuneba, Venezuela, the Yukpa preserves the myth of "Mashiramu and other places of the Wild.

Ritler Qoyllur Festival - Peru

There are very few representations of the bear Spectacled in pre-Columbian iconography. But one that stands out for its uniqueness and cultural importance, is a petroglyph found in the "Mesa de San Isidro, near Santa Cruz de Mora (State of Merida, Venezuela). (Torres , 2002)

Petroglyph face of a spectacled bear: © Museo Arqueológico "Gonzalo Rincón Gutiérrez", Universidad de Los Andes. Merida Venezuela

The vision of the veneration of the spectacled bear, was taken from the culture of the peoples of South America, after the English conquest of the Americas, the English did not suit him to worship gods and worship it misrepresented the through oral tradition, incorporating South American culture stories of the English tale "Juanillo the bear" "and there was born the myth of" Ucumar "which is simply the adaptation of a story Eastern European origin, adapted by the English when they made conquest.

In Latin America the main character of the myth called "The Wild" (Venezuela), "Iznachi" (Ecuador), "Manoba" (Colombia), "Ukuku" (Peru), "Jukumari" (Bolivia) and Ucumar, Uco, Juco (a) in the Northwest.

Ucumar illustration, based on the myth. © Illustration: Fernando Del Moral

The Ucumar is said to be half man - half bear that lives in the jungles of northwest Argentina known as the Yungas, the character goes in search of the most beautiful women in place to kidnap her and take offspring with them, if a female or Ucumar Joey goes in search of the gauchos and kollas to kidnap and having children. The Ucumar or Ucumara say living in caves in the jungle and have seen the banks of streams and sometimes stealing the corn and calves of seats away, the man while on the mountain and found the ucumar say this they face the dogs to defend themselves. Another argues that mythological venerate Wiracocha presented to Ucumar and to punish for their crimes and licentiousness gave eternal life wandering the hills and jungles.

Illustration of the story John Bear (Ecuador). Taken from the book: Between Mists, Myths and Legends of the Paramo.

In northwestern Argentina, have been attributed to the Andean bear, a representation in Aboriginal culture and gaucho, which has been shaped through the production of literature, then the collection of oral histories in the areas near the habitats of the species or oral narratives by persons from these habitats. An example of this are the books Battini Berta Vidal, Jose Fadel et al.

books that talk about the legend of Ucumar. © Photo: Imaru Lameda

The Ucumar is not the only South American bear, the Andean bear ( Tremarctos ornatus) that habitat along the cordillera of the Andes from Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia to Northwest.

Andean bear distribution in South America. Image IUCN, 2007.

Andean Bear. Photo: BBC - Natural World.

Ucumar In the myth of the hero show attitudes which have little to do with behavior and biology of the spectacled bear, which is why we could infer that the Ucumar not more than anthropomorphizing the Andean Bear Andean orality Latin America after the English conquest and that this legend was born not only by the need to leave our native species of worship as a god, but that over the years is perpetual because it could say it is a way to justify attitudes of local people who are not well regarded within the norms of society such as: rape, kidnapping, infidelity, theft which are attributed to ucumar to give this responsibility to the events occurred in the area.