12 days have passed since the disappearance of Loan Danilo Peña (5) in the Corrientes town of 9 de Julio. His grandmother, Catalina, spoke with Paula Bernini, the TN journalist and referred to the “pomberito”, a mythological character who inspires respect and fear among the residents of the northeast.
Loan’s grandmother referred to the “higuerón”, a mountain tree that is forbidden for children because “the Pomberito can grab them.” “I look for it in the trees, the pomberito took it, They say that he takes the creatures… I pray for him to all the saints, even Gauchito Gil, but no one is doing a miracle for me… “I promised San Antonio a meal of stew because I lost my cell phone.”
Who is the Pombero
“In the rural areas of the Argentine and Paraguayan coasts, the belief in the Pombero is widespread. It is the most feared and respected of the Guaraní myths. The Pombero is a character with a human-like figure, but with hairy feet that muffle the sound of his footsteps. He visits roads and houses at night, where he can sneak in through any crack,” explained researcher Taly Barán Attias, a doctoral fellow at Conicet, in her study “Elves and state responsibility: a gender reading of the victims of the Pombero.”
“It perfectly imitates the noise of animals, to mislead its victims. It usually attacks little girls whom it releases after satisfying its libidinous appetite,” said the expert in her research.
“The Pombero is one of the most widespread geniuses of nature in the Guaranitic region. One of the oldest versions, They describe him as a genius protector of birds in the jungle, who appeared to the hunter children as a very tall and thin man.“, reads the Dictionary of Myths and Legends of the NAyA Team.
In Paraguayan and Guaraní society, the Pombero is responsible for the birth of children out of wedlock. The legend tells that The Pombero arrives at night to the house where there are lonely women, and that, if they do not give him a cigarette and a little winejust by touching their belly you get them pregnant.
Legend has it that he has abilities such as blending in easily, making himself invisible when he wants and making himself felt by a touch, with his hairy hands, which produce pirî (chills); can slide through the narrowest spaces, pass through a keyhole, run on all fours, imitate birdsongespecially the nocturnal ones, the hissing of men and vipers, the cry of animals, howls, the chirping of chicks, etc.
According to legend, whoever wants to have this goblin as an ally can leave offerings at night such as tobacco, honey, cane or brandy. Generally, people who live in the countryside ask him for favors such as making crops grow in abundance, taking care of barnyard animals, etc. However, after asking him for a favor, they must not forget to make the same offering every night for thirty days, because if they forget, they will awaken the fury of the pombero, who will do innumerable evils in that home.
It is a type of elf whose characteristics are short stature, black complexion, short legs and upside-down feet, long, hairy arms, and excessively large hands. Its primary function is to take care of the forest and wild animals. He becomes extremely angry if a hunter kills more prey than he needs to consume. It is said that the pombero is a great imitator of bird songs, especially nocturnal ones.
If a person has the pombero as an enemy, they will be exposed to innumerable dangers within the forest, because, with deception, they will try to disorient them and lead them astray in the depths of the night. Sometimes the firefighter causes strange accidents inside the houses. It makes valuable objects disappear from houses, scares people during the night and an endless list of pranks and evils. Those who are at enmity with him usually hear footsteps and voices around the house at night, as if someone were walking through the patio.
You should never say his name out loud, speak ill of him or whistle at night, because these actions make him angry. He can get revenge by teasing and even hitting the person who doesn’t follow those rules.
A mere touch with their hairy hands can cause a person to become dumb, mute, or experience tremors for the rest of their life. If someone imitates her whistle, the pombero may respond in a maddening manner. For this reason, and in order not to offend him, believers prefer to mention him in a low voice or avoid mentioning his name in nightly meetings.
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