Iara

Iara, also known as Uaíara or Iyara, is a figure in Brazilian folklore, a water-dwelling spirit commonly depicted as a beautiful woman with a fish tail, akin to a mermaid.

She is said to inhabit rivers, lakes, and waterfalls, particularly in the Amazon basin and northeastern Brazil. The name derives from Tupi-Guarani languages and is often translated as "lady of the waters" or "water queen," with regional variants.

In traditional tales, Iara uses song, beauty, and enchantment to lure people to the water, sometimes causing drowning. Some traditions portray her as dangerous and seductive, others as ambivalent—a guardian of waterways or a guide for the lost.

Regional variations reflect local environments and beliefs about rivers, temptation, and the power of nature; Iara is sometimes linked to other water spirits such as Mãe d'água and to blended African, Indigenous, and European mythologies.

In modern culture, Iara remains a popular motif in Brazilian literature, music, cinema, and media, where she embodies the beauty and peril of the natural world and serves as a symbol of rivers and aquatic ecosystems.