This document is the English translation of this quote:
| Lameda I., y Del Moral, F. (2008) The Andean Bear in the world view of the South American Andes. International Bear News 17(4) 14 – 15. USA |
During field visits to the jungle of northwestern Argentina (Salta and Jujuy) and sharing with gauchos along the way in our standing on their ranches and conversations in the evening that was shared by the mate (beverage Argentina) and coca leaves, we discovered that there is a character of many names, which they call Juco, uco (a) , ucumar (i), panda Creole and woke us up a concern to know more about this animal, half man - half bear Gauchos say that leaves in the forest, our surprise is that this animal which is so much talk and a mystery is our charismatic Andean bear ( Tremarctos ornatus).
The following are some of the beliefs that are woven around the spectacled bear ( Tremarctos ornatus) in the cloud forests of northwestern Argentina. They are part of the rich cultural heritage of the region that is important to preserve and were collected in the field through oral histories that I referred by gauchos and Indians.
About Juco:
Where the forest stands, wrapped fog in the mountains, to be squeezed by the high plains or in the impassable cliffs, where the thick conspiratorial choking the rivers, is home: The Juco, Ucumar / i or UCU.
About Ucumar weave most of the sexual myths of the forest. It is considered particularly dangerous for women which kidnaps virgins to mate and have offspring with them. The Ucumar female Uca Juca or sexual preference as it is for young men.
They gauchos and Indians, that is during the rainy season when the incursion of a woman or a man is dangerous on the mountain. Especially in this season, down from their roosts Juco and caves in the rocks high in the jungle to stalk people in the villages and towns in the lowlands.
The incursion of man in the domains of the UCU is dangerous. They say that dogs often howl piteously when they smell your presence and fired again after his trail when they hear the cries and vocalizations of this, mount inside. The Ucumar often note the presence of men and prudently watches from a distance or in the high rocks. If you feel persecuted push and throw rocks to get rid of them completely. That unmentionable, if not indirectly not to invoke his presence, from the harsh tropical rainforests fog which has its home, will fall year after year, watching, to the villages peasants in the lowlands in search of her maids.
The Art of the UCU.
A tropical afternoon drizzle, covering mounted on the wide beach of Santa Maria River in the heart of the jungle Oranense, north of Salta, we to stay at the post "fortified" of a timber guide, called Don Ruiz.
open in a clearing in the jungle was his ranch. The entrance to it from the river beach minced dodging a shady leading into the bush. Around his little hut he had built a "fort" laurel stick seven feet high, came to this through a door sticks logs with double pin. Displaying surprise me that caused me such construction apologized, "is to prevent the arrival at the ranch, of sorrel (Jaguares) and Joey .... "
long as the twilight was bleeding in the tangled jungle and a gentle breeze whipped the flames of fire, told us something I never felt: The Art of Juco.
And thus began: "One summer morning I found traces of overo (Jaguars), near the ranch, I decided to arm myself and go to track the tiger by the river." Walk about three hours along a creek, following the traces, so they sensed that the prey animal was near. About noon I stopped next to a spring to eat and rest, sat with his back to a rock shaded by trees, a low rock. At that moment I felt a sharp odor and a snort behind my back, I returned quickly and took the gun and was raised there before rudely against the jungle canopy, with those big arms hanging, a UCU male, all dark, thick, calchudo (hairy), hairy, seized the situation, looking at me straight in the eye. He was motionless, fixing his eyes only and I could not face even managing to take aim with his rifle. For a moment it seemed it all came down to it, controlling everything ... until, nonchalantly turned and sank in the web of the mountain that was woven between the "-and went on" I commented to the gauchos (Creole) old on that situation and they told me which had been the victim of Uco art. "
"If the animal stares first sustained and penetrating eyes of the hunter seized his person, his movements, control, a sort of hypnosis that the victim will still for a few minutes, without even able to do anything about it until well not Uco is gone ... that's his art, call Art of Juco.
Ucumar 's son.
We had an old gaucho, the Colorado River in the province of Salta, near the border with the fate Jujuy ran one of the sons of Ucumar, a hybrid between a bear and human.
was known by the generic name of Joseph Juco. A dark man of ethnic Kolla, thick, of medium height, arms and strong legs, face very angular and proven, but there was a special that used to pass unnoticed, it was extremely hairy, so kollas Creole and were soon conclude that Joseph was one of the anonymous children of Juco.
Joseph Juco, for some old dispute with the community had moved away from it. He lived in his post on a remote jungle area. Was a complete hermit away from civilization. However, sometimes used to come into the forest to trade with gauchos and Kolla, bringing hides and meat of wild animals hunted in the forest and exchanged by tools or other products. Any time that Joseph used to come to the ranch, the dogs barked and howled mournfully noting his presence bother horses and even the most tame reared and shot out his presence.
Very widespread was his fame as a hunter infallible. However, their arts activity were never revealed and it was even more distant to share the "beaten" with people. They ended up agreeing to it, those who knew him, that this was due to the remoteness of their humanity, an underlying instinct yet powerful Ucumari ancestry.
Over the years, the altercations occurred with people because hunters frequently invaded his domain. Detest the killing of wild animals that the men did, Joseph ended up looking down on people and ended up migrating to more remote mountain ranges, not returned ever known him.
However, someone said that the fate of Joseph Juco was very different. During a trip to the jungle in search of honey, had met with a group of males in rut jucos that fluttered around whipping (spam). Joseph exasperated have ended up scaring them away and then mate with Joey. They claim that since that time, Joseph could not return among men. Inhabiting the remote areas of the jungle until his death, gave birth to a new generation of men ucumaris.
This information was compiled and written by Fatima I. Lameda and Fernando Del Moral, 2008.
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