The Pombero

The Pombero is a small humanoid being of Guaraní mythology, part of Paraguay's cultural heritage and also known in Misiones, Argentina, and southern Brazil. Billiken says country people who want his help leave him offerings at night.

Wikipedia describes the Pombero as a mythical, small humanoid of Guaraní mythology and a typical part of Paraguay's cultural heritage. It says the Mbyá of southern Brazil and people in the Argentine province of Misiones also know him. His other names include Pomberito; Pyrague, meaning hairy feet; Karai Pyhare, meaning lord of the night; Cho Pombé, meaning Don Pombero; and Kuarahy Jára, meaning master of the sun.

Juan B. Ambrosetti wrote in 1917 that a government surveyor, Juan Queirel, had told him of a legend in parts of Corrientes about the Cuarahú Yára, master of the Sun, or Pombero. Ambrosetti thought it was simply a variant of the Yasy-Yateré legend.

Billiken (2023) describes how people try to win him over. Those who want him as an ally leave out tobacco, honey, cane liquor or aguardiente at night. Country people ask him to make their crops grow and to look after their farm animals. After asking a favour they must repeat the offering every night for thirty days. If they forget, Billiken says, his anger falls on the household and he does endless mischief there.

The figure also lives in popular music. In 2012 the Paraguayan newspaper Última Hora reported that the band Kchiporros had named its fourth album Señor Pombero. In the title song the singers tell the Pombero that they no longer fear him.