Itanhangá

Image description: This is an old photograph of a mountainous landscape. On the left side, there is a dense forest with tall trees and green leaves. In the center, a man is walking along a dirt path, wearing period clothing. In the background, there are two large rock formations, one lighter and the other darker, standing out against the cloudy sky. On the right, there is an area of dense vegetation, also with trees. At the bottom of the image, there is an inscription that reads "La Gavea de la Tyuca" and the name "Marc Ferre".

Pedra da Gávea, located in the city's West Zone, is the tallest mountain in the entire Maciço da Tijuca. This mountain is even more imposing than Corcovado itself, and from the top of its summit, which rises above 840 meters in height, one can enjoy breathtaking views of the city on every side. In the early years of the Portuguese presence in Guanabara, there was already mention of how they had named one of the region's greatest natural monuments, a landmark of the city and the coast. The largest seaside monolith in the world, with its tall and relatively flat top, was soon associated by the Europeans with the gávea — the crow's nest — of the ships that had carried them to the New World. The gávea is the small observation space embedded at the top of the tallest mast. From it, lookouts would watch for storms and nearby boats, and it was from there that they would shout "land ahoy!" upon spotting mountains on the horizon.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white engraving. It shows a sailor on a vessel, using a telescope. The sailor is wearing a heavy coat and holding the telescope with one hand while pointing with the other. The vessel has a metal structure with an access ladder. In the background, there are drawings of waves and seagulls flying. In the lower corner, there is an inscription that reads "I. Scoresbys huma."

However, few cariocas can identify the origin and meaning of Itanhangá, a neighborhood with a Tupi name. The word "Itanhangá" seems to reveal how the Tupi people related to this singular mountain. The name originally given to Gávea is precisely "Itanhangá," whose composition is clear: Itá (stone) + Anhangá (evil spirit).

Image description: This is an old photograph of a mountainous landscape. On the left side, we see a rock formation with dense vegetation. In the center, there is an open area with a few scattered houses and buildings. On the right, a large mountain peak stands out, covered with vegetation. The sky is clear and cloudless. The image is in black and white.

The unique characteristics of the shape of its dome and one of its faces have already been the subject of legends and myths. Many see in the "head of Gávea" a human face, and certain markings on the rock as human inscriptions that would prove the visit of individuals from civilizations older than that of our original cariocas. Geologists say that the rock's natural erosion left marks and shapes so distinctive that we tend to see their mystical and mysterious side more than the result of natural wear phenomena that last centuries.

It's likely that the natives also saw something in that head with the face drawn by erosion. Hence, we have the Pedra do Espírito Maligno, or simply the Pedra do Anhangá, in what Christians would associate with the Devil. In Tupi religiosity, such a Christian figure obviously doesn't exist. In other words, calling it Pedra do Diabo doesn't reflect its indigenous dimension.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white engraving. On the left side, we see two human figures with raised arms, appearing to be dancing or celebrating. On the right, there is a figure with an animal head, holding a long, curved object. Behind them, there is a tree with broad leaves. In the background, we see rocks and a flowering plant.

The late urbanization of this area of Rio de Janeiro, where the Itanhangá survived, meant that, fortunately, names of ancestral origin have prevailed to this day. From now on, we can call the Gávea by its true Tupi name, the Pedra do Anhangá, the Itanhangá, the face of the stone monster that watches us all and, many times, pursues and mistreats us. To see it up close, one "only" needs to climb the Gávea.

The indigenous imaginary is permeated by malevolent beings, among them the Anhangá. Present in Tupi myths as a being of evil, the Anhangá is a free spirit that could pursue and torment mainly those considered cowardly and weak in indigenous culture. In other words, those who failed to fulfill their social obligations were left at the mercy of being hounded by its evil schemes. Anhangá could punish them at any moment, and fearing being attacked, the natives sought the protection of pajés and caraíbas, as well as followed rituals and recommendations. The figure of the Anhangá is present in Tupi legends and myths and could be the reason behind some misfortunes and frustrations among them. At night, they would not leave the maloca without a torch to ward off the anhangá.