Water Creature at Aucapan

 

At Aucapan (39°38’ S, 71°17’ W) just 32 km (20 mi.) northwest of the Argentine town of Junín de los Andes, a strange creature is said to live in a tiny lake, the “Huaca Mamül”.

This is a cow-like creature, whose name (“Huaca Mamül”)in Mapudungun (the language of the Mapuche natives) means “cow stick” (“huaca” = cow and “mamül” = stick).

In this map, Aucapan is located above the Malleo River, which is the outlet of Lake Tromen. It is roughly where the "M" of Malleo appears on the map. Notice that the range of hills south of Malleo, between Aucapan and Lake Huechulafquen (home to the lake monster "Huechulito"), are named Mamuil Malal or "hills of sticks" perhaps alluding to them as home to the "living stick".

Malleo River. Lanín volcano can be seen in the background.From [2]

Living Stick a "water cow" (lake bull)

The beast is said to bellow like a cow with a sharp and explosive “Aaaa…”; it is described as a “live stick” (palo vivo in Spanish) which is found “in the middle of the forests between Aucapan and Chile, in a tiny hidden lake”.[1]

The living stick is not some kind of magic piece of wood or log, it is named so in a metaphorical manner because it buoys in the lakes just like a drifting log, but it is alive, and stands upright moving at will and it destroys all that come near it.

Close by, at Aucapan Creek, there is a pool, which the locals avoid because “cow heads” are seen surfacing in it.[1] Perhaps both creatures are the same one.

Aucapan Creek is a stream which flows into the Aluminé River (see the map) between the Malleo and Quillén rivers (Quillén is home to a "Cuero uñudo").

Bibliography.

[1] Fernández, C., (1995). Cuentan Los Mapuches. B. Aires: Ediciones Nuevo Siglo. pp. 75+
[2] Photograph: Río Malleo - San Martin de los Andes - Argentina by efedigital


Copyright 2009-2010 by Austin Whittall ©

Patagonian Monsters Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia