Cherufe

The Cherufe is a fearsome, man-eating creature from the mythology of the Mapuche people, the Indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile.

Described as a monstrous humanoid composed of magma and jagged rock crystals, the Cherufe is believed to dwell deep within the magma chambers of Chilean volcanoes. It is held responsible for volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and other violent natural phenomena. In Mapuche legend, the Cherufe is also said to hurl "magicians' ardent stones"—fiery meteorites or volcanic rocks—that cause destruction across the land.

To appease the Cherufe’s appetite and prevent further disaster, ancient stories tell of human sacrifices being made, with victims—often young virgins—cast into volcanic craters. This mirrors themes found in European dragon myths, where female sacrifices are offered to monstrous beings to stave off catastrophe.

The myth of the Cherufe may have emerged as a way to explain the unpredictable and often devastating geological activity of southern Chile, one of the world’s most volcanically active regions.