The bufeo colorado in some Peruvian Amazon novels

Abstract

The bufeo colorado (Inia geoffrensis) is the pink dolphin that lives in the rivers of the Amazon basin. It is the protagonist of one of the most widespread tales in the oral tradition of the indigenous and riverine populations of the area, for whom it possesses metamorphic powers. The bufeo, in fact, can turn into a man with western features, a tall “gringo”, often with blond hair and light-coloured eyes, and is often indicated as the father of children whose paternity is unknown. This paper will outline its presence in some novels set in the jungle, in order to show how the authors —in most cases— use this story exclusively to perpetuate stereotypes about the jungle as a “green hell” and about the sexuality of its inhabitants. In contrast, two cases will be shown, those of the novels Paiche by César Calvo de Araújo and La virgen del Samiria by Róger Rumrrill, which deconstruct the myth and aim for a more objective description of the jungle. In these two works, in fact, the authors explicitly explain the metaphorical content of the story, unveil the violence behind its creation, contextualise it and explain its social functions, thus contributing to a more balanced approach to the Amazonian world.