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Native American Legends: Kanaima (Canaima, Kenaima)
Name: Kanaima
Tribal affiliation: Carib,
Akawayo,
Makushi,
Patamona,
Pemon
Alternate spellings: Canaima, Kanaimà, Kenaima, Kanáima, Kanaimö
Pronunciation: kuh-nye-mah
Type: Evil spirit,
witchcraft,
revenge
In the belief system of the Carib tribes, Kanaima is an evil spirit that possesses people and causes them to turn into
deadly animals and/or go into a murderous rage. Assassins, or Carib people seeking revenge for a slain relative,
sometimes invited the Kanaima spirit into themselves by taking certain drugs or conducting certain magic rituals.
Kanaima, the Invisible or Broken Arrow:
The story of the vengeance spirit Kanaima.
Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends
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Dark Shamans:
Book on the violent animistic traditions of Kanaima among the Cariban tribes.
Guyana Legends: Folk Tales of the Indigenous Amerindians:
Good collection of Cariban and Arawakan mythology from Guyana.
Rain Forest Literatures: Amazonian Texts and Latin American Culture:
An interesting compilation of traditional Arawak, Carib, and Guarani stories.
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Additional Resources
Carib spirits
Carib Indians
Tribes of the Amazon rainforest
Native Americans of Brazil
Caribbean indigenous people
Cariban cultures
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