Caboclo spirits are venerated in the Afro-Brazilian religions of Umbanda and Candomble as spirits of Indigenous Brazilians, especially of the Amazon rainforest, considered distinct from the Orishas though revered alongside them. Portrayed as hunters and warriors who are highly intelligent and brave but also vain and arrogant, Caboclos are understood to draw their power from the forces of nature, including the sun and moon, waterfalls and the forest, and they typically carry nature-linked names such as Caboclo Mata Virgem or Caboclo Coral. A medium possessed by a Caboclo commonly adopts a stern expression and loud, piercing cries, and channels healing to devotees through cigar smoke.
Facts
Attestation
Era of Attestation Veneration TodayActively venerated in a living tradition 1 HistoricityNot a historical person: a divine or other-than-human being 1 Belief
TheologyPolytheistic: many gods 1 Function
Domain / Function Sources
1. The Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend
Anthony S. Mercatante, revised and expanded by James R. Dow, Facts on File
2. Black Atlantic Religion: Tradition, Transnationalism, and Matriarchy in the Afro-Brazilian Candomble
J. Lorand Matory, Princeton University Press, 2005Caboclo, Brazilian Umbanda founding eraView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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