Riccardo Liguori The choice of the curupira as the mascot of COP30, which will be held in Belém, Brazil, highlights the crucial role of forests in the fight against climate change and celebrates the richness of Brazilian folklore
@Wikipedia
A hint of magic and folklore will make its way onto the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP30, to be held in Belém, Brazil, this November. The mascot chosen for the event is the Curupira, a mythological animal in Brazilian folklore that protects forests and confuses people who try to hurt them.
Curupira has a pair of feet facing its back, giving this creature an amusing look and embodying the deep connection between Brazilian culture and nature. The reason for this figure becoming the mascot is not accidental at all: the forests have an essential role in regulating the Earth’s temperature, and their preservation is directly linked to controlling the features of global warming.
The Curupira: a legendary guardian of the forest
The Curupira is much more than a symbol; it is a figure full of history and meaning. Coming from the beliefs of indigenous people in the Amazon region, who considered it the guardian of animals and the forest, the legend of the Curupira has been passed down through generations, acquiring local variations and new details.
According to the popular tradition, the Curupira is small and agile, has bright red hair, feet turned backward, roams in the forest, and makes hunters and loggers who threaten the fragile balance of nature become disoriented. It warns against any kind of exploitation of the forest without respect.
A Symbol with a deeper meaning
The Curupira has also been the interest of academic studies: while some consider it an image of the forces of nature, others understand this character as a resistant personality, from the indigenous people, against deforestation. Its complex character still inspires artists, writers, and researchers.
By naming the Curupira as the official mascot of COP30, Brazil is uniquely positioned to share its rich folklore with the world and to raise awareness about the urgent need for forest conservation. Through its symbolic strength, the Curupira makes us remember that climate change can be combated only through the commitment of the entire world and through a deep cultural change.
