Caboclo d’Água

The Caboclo-d’Água is a very common creature in the waters of Brazil, sometimes also called Negro-d’Água or Compadre d’Água. It is a water apparition that takes on numerous different forms.

There are accounts that describe it as gigantic, others as almost a dwarf. They say it has dark skin, copper-colored or furry like an otter. Something very frequent is the idea that it has membranes between its toes, like those of a duck, to facilitate movement in the water. Its skin is described as being so thick that it is a waste to shoot at it; no bullet passes through it.

In some versions, it has a single eye, making it more violent and animalistic. In others, it is a partner of the river dweller, and can establish a legitimate relationship of friendship with him. For this, it is enough to offer the appropriate gifts whenever one goes sailing: especially cachaça and roll tobacco.

Gifts and forms of protection

Those who do not wish to approach a Caboclo, however, also find their alternatives. Sticking a knife into the bow of the boat is a traditional strategy to ward off malevolent beings. The blade, preferably virgin, is known in the superstitions as the object of separation. It separates right and wrong, good and evil. And the reflection is what keeps what is unwanted away.

Another technique involves painting a cross or Solomon's sign on the oar blades. A widely used alternative during the 19th century, throughout the middle São Francisco River region, was the use of figureheads; the carrancas. This will prevent attacks by the Caboclos-d'Água, who will, at most, accompany the vessel, swimming well at a distance from the boat.

Reports and repercussions in Minas Gerais

One of the cities where its presence is most noticeable is Barra Mansa (MG), where it even has a statue. A group from the region gained media attention by offering, for several years, a cash reward to anyone who presented a legitimate photo of the Caboclo-d'Água. This is the Mariana Ghost Hunters Association (ACAM), an initiative of journalist Leandro Henrique dos Santos.

In the version narrated by the association, the Caboclo-d’Água has greenish, scaly skin, like that of a reptile. Among the accounts of attacks, the most famous tells of a young man who allegedly had his testicles ripped off by the creature. The group's strategy is to use the unusual to gain media attention and attract interest to the cities and culture of Minas Gerais.