The legend of “Karaí October”

People in Corrientes say that Karaí is similar to the Pombero. He is like a dwarf. He is a strong and
old. He has got his belly with hairs. He a has a long beard and a huge hat.

He is known as the Lord of Misery ... do you know why? Because on 1 st October, he goes to all the
houses in Paraguay and in the north east of Argentina. Provinces like Corrientes, Misiones,
Formosa and Chaco. He checks if the family has enough food at home.

He investigates if people work during the year and save food for the following months. He enters
into the houses and watches if there is enough food. Families should invite the neighbours with
special meals. For example: guiso, barbecue, breads, cakes, chipas, spaguetti, ñoquis, cazuelas,
locros etc.

Those people who did not care about saving, he punishes them with misery until the end of the
year and those who have to treat them rewards them with abundance.

The Guaraní mythology explain that the mission of “Karaí” is to look like an old man wearing a big
straw hat. He is usually barefoot. He has got a riding crop (rebenque) in his hands to punish those
people who don´t save food to spend difficult times.

Families prepare big meals in front of their homes, to show Karaí October that they have enough
food in the month of misery. If this is not the case, he chases the family group to punish them
with his guacha and drive them crazy with loud whistles.

On some occasions, he becomes invisible and enters into the house to watch the kitchen. If there
isn’t provision of food and drinks or big meals, he brings problems, difficulties or bad luck to the
family and the house.

One solution in the country to get rid of him, is to "blow the ranch". People should blow three
corners of the ranch with different elements, leaving one free so that misery escapes there (...).
Fragment of an investigation carried out by Prof. Ertivio Acosta; submitted many years later to
the Ministry of Education of the Province of Chaco, Argentina in 2011.

He is Karaí
He is from the north east of Argentina.
He is a dwarf similar to the Pombero.
He is an old man.
He is like a beggar.
He is short.
He has got short legs.
He has got long arms and big hands.
He has got big dark eyes.
He has got a big nose with spots.
He hasn’t got all his teeth.
He has got a belly with hairs.
He a has a long beard and a huge hat.
He has got a bag on his back.
He has got a wooden spoon on his left hand.
He hasn’t got clean clothes.
His favourite food is “Locro”
His favourite drink is wine.