Mohan (legendary)
Encyclopedia
The Muan, Moan or Mohan (moo-ahn), sometimes also known as Poira is a name applied to several mythological or otherwise supernatural creatures in South
and Central American folklore. The most common and widespread use of the term is to refer to the souls of the dead and the indigenous ancestors of old. The word is also used for shamans or witch doctor
s in some Colombia
n indigenous cultures (such as the Panches).
However, for instance, in Colombia, Mohan can also mean a forest or barren land kind of supernatural being associated with natural forces such as the great rivers and the mysteries lying within the forests, beyond human reach and comprehension. In some legends, it steals and rapes young women, being then like a satyr
-like being, said to have a cave-like grotto in the bottom of the great jungle rivers where he keeps his female captives. In others, it is depicted as the spirit of an old Indian, very brawny and stout, with a terrifying grin and stare, having also more than human stature and proportions, who steals the fisherman's bait, catch or nets, and as having the power to change shape into a cat-like beast.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Central American folklore. The most common and widespread use of the term is to refer to the souls of the dead and the indigenous ancestors of old. The word is also used for shamans or witch doctor
Witch doctor
A witch doctor originally referred to a type of healer who treated ailments believed to be caused by witchcraft. It is currently used to refer to healers in some third world regions, who use traditional healing rather than contemporary medicine...
s in some Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n indigenous cultures (such as the Panches).
However, for instance, in Colombia, Mohan can also mean a forest or barren land kind of supernatural being associated with natural forces such as the great rivers and the mysteries lying within the forests, beyond human reach and comprehension. In some legends, it steals and rapes young women, being then like a satyr
Satyr
In Greek mythology, satyrs are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus — "satyresses" were a late invention of poets — that roamed the woods and mountains. In myths they are often associated with pipe-playing....
-like being, said to have a cave-like grotto in the bottom of the great jungle rivers where he keeps his female captives. In others, it is depicted as the spirit of an old Indian, very brawny and stout, with a terrifying grin and stare, having also more than human stature and proportions, who steals the fisherman's bait, catch or nets, and as having the power to change shape into a cat-like beast.