220px|thumb|Artistic representation of the curupira
The Curupira, Currupira or Korupira () is a forest spirit in the myth of the Tupí-Guaraní speaking areas in the Brazilian and Paraguaian Amazon and Guyanas. It is a guardian of the rainforest that punishes humans for overcutting.
It is often said to look like a short-statured or caboclo (civilized indigene or one of mixed race), but also said to be a bald but otherwise shaggy man (though the women have flowing hair). Some say it has blue or green teeth. The red-haired image has become fixture, perhaps due to conflation with the caipora.
The Curupira according to early Jesuits was a feared being known to leave gruesomely scarred bodies, to be appeased by offerings. But it underwent a mutation via European influence, and was recast into more of a mischievous trickster type spirit, often bungling and letting humans outsmart it, though it could still cause misfortune and death.
Origins
The Curupira legend spans Venezuela, Guyana, Peru and Paraguay, and appears to have been passed from Karaib-speakers to Guarani-speaking populace.
Nomenclature
The lore of the Curupira is not only found in Brazil, but also in Paraguay and Guiana coinciding with the distribution of the Tupi–Guarani languages.
The name Curupira means "covered in wounds or blisters", Sometimes transcribed "Korupira".