The gamusino is a very elusive animal that can only be hunted at night and is attracted by noise. This is how in various regions of Europe (Portugal and Spain) and in Latin America (specifically in Cuba) an unreal animal is called that is used to play tricks on children and beginner hunters.
Gamusino is a word that comes from some voices from other Spanish languages and regions, such as León, Salamanca, Extremadura and Soria, among others. In Asturias the spelling is modified and they call it camosino, in Tortosa they call it gambosins and in Portugal a slight variation is applied, resulting in the word gambozino.
The gamusino is often used to play tricks on children. Source: pixabay.com
This representation is part of the traditions of these regions, which comprise the group of cultural values transmitted from one generation to another in a community. These values are maintained over time and become part of the cultural imaginary so that later generations learn them as part of their cultural heritage.
Countless myths have arisen about the animal, among which it stands out that it is attracted to noise. In this context, traps are prepared made with a can that the hunter sounds and a sack where he will finally be introduced once caught, after singing: 1,2,3,4 gamusino al sack!
Origin of the term
There are several theories about the origin of this word. For example, it is said to come from a Provençal word meaning "deception" (gambosí).
Among other theories, there is also one that defends that part of the root of the reproduction of the sound "gam (b) -" is related to the idea of noise.
In Catalonia, the word gambosins serves to identify a demonic wind that drove people crazy with the loud sound it made, and at night, when this wind blew, it brought fantastic beings wrapped up.
Likewise, the Catalan word gambutz i is associated with a being of short stature or a dwarf. From Catalonia it spread to the rest of the peninsula, and the idea of deception prevailed, which later gave rise to the imaginary animal, which was used to cheat or play tricks on others outside the tradition.
Associated traditions
Each region carries out its own activities that define its cultural profile: traditions are an expression of this.
Hunting gamusinos has some meanings within popular culture or folklore. There are various manifestations of this traditional practice, which conform to the conception that each community has of the sense of humor and of the joke itself.
For example, in Spain and Portugal there is a tradition of deceiving students, making them believe that the gamusino is an animal to hunt. This is a characteristic feature of the humor of the region, a joke to newbies and even a game for children.
Those who already have experience try to make believe that they run and catch the animal. Meanwhile, the novice must hold the bag that supposedly has the animal inside without being able to see; what they put inside as the supposed prey turns out to be stones.
For children
There is a children's tradition in which children are proposed to go hunting gamusinos and they begin to ask questions about the animal.
It is then that those who organize the game stimulate the imagination of the little ones and make them "see" it among the trees, using shadows with flashlights, sticks and stones.
Soldiers
In Latin America, specifically in Cuba, this imaginary animal is used to play pranks on new soldiers entering military service.
They explain to newbies that the gamusino is an animal that looks like the Jutia Conga but smaller, and that it is also very tasty.
Cave explorers and hikers are easy prey to deception and succumb to this joke. They are told that the gamusino is lured by making a lot of noise, for which they are handed sticks and cans to hit.
The victim of the prank holds the bag with one hand and then places it on the floor with the opening exposed so that the gamusino falls inside when running away. In the other hand she grabs the stick and rattles the can to attract it while singing "1, 2, 3, 4 gamusino al sack!" over and over until it enters the sack.
Sometimes those who make the joke stage a whole act so that the victim is interested in the matter when they see how everyone talks about the fact of hunting the gamusino.
They tell their exploits from past gamusino hunts until they manage to implicate those who will be mocked, and who turn out to be the ones who scream the loudest and hit the can the loudest.
This activity became a tradition in the meetings held every year by the Cuban Speleological Society, in which newbies participate and where a famous spelunker known as “Van Helsin, the Gambuzino hunter” stands out, one of the most prominent deceivers of the area.
Scolding
Among other traditional and frequent uses of this joke, the one made to young children stands out when they insist on accompanying the older ones and they do not allow it, telling them that they cannot go because the plan is to go hunting shrimp. This convinces them to stay home.
Likewise, some mothers use the expression to avoid explaining to their children about where they have been.
Ruins found
In the ruins of Valparaíso a small chest was found with some old documents and treatises on local herbology, history and fauna. In these a section was dedicated to the gamusino, whose scientific name would be Gamusinus Alipendis Rasquetus, also known as Maimon.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, this is an endangered species, but that tradition and its mythological quality made it imperishable.
In this way, the gamusino has passed from generation to generation, transcending the fact of being a creation of the popular imagination and becoming a characteristic feature of the areas of both Europe and Latin America, in which its practice is already part of its oral traditions.
References
- "Gamusino" in EcuRed. Retrieved on March 15, 2019 from EcuRed: ecured.cu
- "Do you want to know about Gamusino?" in Let's talk about mythologies. Retrieved on March 16, 2019 from Let's talk about mythologies: hablemosdemitologias.com
- Cáceres Peraleda de la Mata in Peraleo Dialectal Dictionary. Retrieved on March 16, 2019 from Peraleo Dialectal Dictionary: raicesdeperaleda.com
- "Gamusino" in Wikipedia. Retrieved on March 16, 2019 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org
- "Gamusino" in Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy. Retrieved on March 16, 2019 from the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy: del.rae.es