Legend has it that the winding, twisting waterways of the Huallaga are inhabited by a siren. So beautiful is she; that her skin glistens like the moonlight and her eyes lure fishermen to the sandy riverbanks where she sleeps. She is said to be the guardian of the river often resting along the sandy shores beckoning fishermen to come to her side. It is said that she has the power to glide over rough waves coming up for air as she weaves her slender body from shore to shore. She is not a mere mortal but an illusion. She transforms from time to time instilling respect in those who cross her path as she turns from siren into a boa. It is said she rises from the jungle floors to jungle rooftops to sit in her cosmic throne.
Yacumama is the goddess of the Huallaga. She is the mighty deity and it is her spiritual transformation that holds those who see her in awe and it she who dictates the path mere humans will have to follow.
The legend of Yacumama is all to familiar to those residing along the banks of the Huallaga. Today her story is still told, yet her hold on fishermen and communities alike has begun to fade. Such is life in the heart of the Amazon.
tierraselva 