Jarjacha: The Llama with a Human Face

30 Mar

An artist's impression of a Jarjacha. Photo: Pine Barrens Institute

In Peru, there is a legend that if you commit incest, as a punishment, God will transform you into a monstrous llama with a human face.

The Legend of the Jarjacha

The legend of the Jarjacha has been passed down through generations within Peru. Its infamy stems from being perceived as a curse rather than a mere creature, particularly as a punishment for those who commit the egregious act of incest, deemed one of the gravest sins by Christians in Peru.

According to superstition, when a depraved individual commits this sin, they will be transformed by "God" into the Jarjacha, a monstrous and ghastly being.

Description of the Jarjacha

A jarjacha shown next to a human for scale. Photo: A Book of Creatures

According to the legend, the victim of the curse would undergo a transformation into a monstrous form that bore resemblance to a hybrid of a human and a llama or alpaca.

The transformation was said to occur after sundown, and the creature's appearance would feature a twisted and distorted version of its original human face atop a sickly and malformed llama's body.

The most recognizable characteristic of a jarjacha is its piercing call, which is a loud rattling cry that reverberates across the hills. The repetitive sound of "Jar-jar-jar-jar-jar" is enough to send shivers down the spines of the villagers, who quickly cross themselves and secure their doors.

There are variations in the legends, with some describing the creature as retaining its human hands and feet, while others depict it with fleshy hooves that caused agonizing pain with each step.

The transformed monster was doomed to wander the earth at night, unable to sleep and plagued by an unquenchable and ravenous hunger. It would prowl the darkness, relentlessly seeking out victims to brutally slay and devour their brains.

How to Counteract a Jarjacha

Some Peruvians believe that the human soul resides within the brain. As a result, it was believed that if the Jarjacha consumed a victim's brain, it would also consume their soul. If the creature ingested a pure and "clean" soul, it was thought that it could potentially absorb the soul's power, thus breaking the curse.

Another version of the tale claims that consuming a victim's soul would render the Jarjacha invincible, making it impossible to kill.

The only defense against the creature was to carry a mirror. If the Jarjacha saw its reflection, it would be repulsed by its appearance and flee back into the darkness in shame, allowing the fortunate individual to escape.

If encountered before consuming a clean soul, the creature could potentially be defeated by a common blade or metal object. There were risks however, as the Jarjacha's demonic eyes could hypnotize its attacker, compelling them to sacrifice themselves to the creature in order to feed it.

How to Make Use of a Jarjacha for Personal Gain

Although many of the stories about the Jarjacha revolved around death and curses, others dealt with capturing and controlling the creature for personal gain.

It was said that the most effective way to capture a Jarjacha was to somehow compel it to flee from its own reflection and into a small, lockable dwelling or room.

Each of the four walls of the trap was required to have a mirror affixed to its center to ensure that the creature remained in a state of constant disgust and panic.

It was widely believed that if the Jarjacha was captured and held until morning, it would revert to its human form as soon as sunlight touched its skin.

Once it had transformed back into a human and its true identity was exposed, the captor could then blackmail the unfortunate cursed individual into paying a large sum of money to keep their shameful secret of having committed incest with a family member hidden.