Monster trees. We have already mentioned the weird "walking tree" or Inulpamahuida. Today we will comment on two other tree-creatures.
Alihuen
One is the Mapuche Alihuen, which is a dry tree trunk that sometimes appears floating in lakes and rivers. Its branches extended above the water like the contorted arms of a zombie. The Indians believe that these are real creatures, monsters that are harbingers of tragedy.
It has been seen in many Chilean rivers such as Cholchol, Cautín and Quepe.
Sometimes the dead-tree-monster is known as the "dry tree" (árbol seco). [1]
Alihuen, the dry tree spirit. Copyright © 2006 by Austin Whittall
Quemanta
In Tierra del Fuego, we have the opposite creature among the Selk’nam. It was the “Quemanta”, the spirit of the living trees. He was harmless, but the women feared him. [2]
It is interesting that there were three different "tree-monsters" in Patagonia (Inulpamahuida, Quemanta and Alihuen).
Bibliography
[1] Guevara T. Op. Cit. Chapter I.
[2] Gallardo, C., (1910). Los Onas. B. Aires: Cabaut. pp. 333.
Copyright 2009 by Austin Whittall ©
Patagonian Monsters
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