What if I told you that this very rock speaks? Welcome to Pedra do Itanhangá. It is a natural monument on the edge of Tijuca Lagoon.
The name Pedra do Itanhangá comes from the large stone itself. It sits right on the edge of Tijuca Lagoon. “Ita” means stone. “Anhangá” means ghostly or speaking. So Pedra do Itanhangá means “Stone that speaks”.
Long ago the indigenous people were afraid. The winds made sounds as they passed through the rocks. These sounds frightened them. They believed the rock was haunted. They thought the Pedra do Itanhangá was speaking to them.
The Pedra do Itanhangá is 212 meters high. It is a mountain. In the past during the time of the Federal District you could reach it. You could use the roads of Furnas and Itanhangá.
The Itanhangá neighborhood gets its name from this mountain. The word “Itanhangá” reveals how the Tupi people saw this unique mountain. It comes from “Ita” meaning stone. It also comes from “Anhangá” meaning evil spirit.
Some see a human face on the Gávea head. They see lines on the rock. They think these are human writings. This would mean people from older civilizations visited before. Geologists say nature eroded the rock. This created the shapes. We tend to see the mystical side more than natural events.
The native people likely saw something in that head. It had a face shaped by erosion. So, we have the Stone of the Evil Spirit. Or simply the Stone of Anhangá. Christians might call it the Devil’s Stone. But that does not reflect the indigenous view.
The late urbanization of Rio de Janeiro helped Itanhangá survive. Luckily names of ancient origin remain. From now on we can call Gávea by its true Tupi name. It is the Pedra do Anhangá. It is the face of the stone monster. It watches us all. It often chases and mistreats us.
The indigenous imagination includes evil beings like Anhangá. He is in Tupi myths as a being of evil. Anhangá is a free spirit. He could chase and mistreat the weak and cowardly. Those who did not fulfill their social duties risked Anhangá’s evil tricks.
Anhangá could punish them anytime. Fearing attack the natives sought protection. They went to the pajés and caraíbas. They followed rituals and advice. The figure of Anhangá is in Tupi legends. He could cause loss and frustration. At night they did not leave their maloca without a torch. This was to scare away Anhangá. So next time you hear the wind. Remember the legend of the Pedra do Itanhangá. Maybe you will hear the stone speaking too.