Naipí & Tarobá — The love that created Iguazú Falls
Mythological & legendary love Indigenous love Tragic love 🇧🇷 Brazil

Naipí & Tarobá

The love that created Iguazú Falls

EraGuaraní legend
Country / cultureArgentina/Brazil border
CategoryMythological & legendary love
Type of loveTragic
EndingTragic
Quick answer

The maiden Naipí, destined to be sacrificed to the serpent god M'Boi, flees by canoe with the warrior Tarobá; the enraged god splits the river to create the falls, turning her to rock and him to a tree leaning over the water.

01Why it matters

It explains one of the world's natural wonders as a punished act of love. They see each other forever, joined by a rainbow.

02The conflict

The sacrifice demanded by the serpent god.

03The iconic moment

The rainbow over the Devil's Throat on sunny days.

04What survived

Iguazú Falls (UNESCO World Heritage).

05Where to travel

Iguazú Falls
The Devil's Throat.
Puerto Iguazú / Foz do Iguaçu · Argentina / Brazil
Fact-check note. Guaraní legend with oral variants.

06Frequently asked questions

Why is the story of Naipí & Tarobá famous?

It explains one of the world's natural wonders as a punished act of love. They see each other forever, joined by a rainbow.

How does the story of Naipí & Tarobá end?

The rainbow over the Devil's Throat on sunny days. Iguazú Falls (UNESCO World Heritage).

Where can you visit the story of Naipí & Tarobá?

You can visit Iguazú Falls, in Puerto Iguazú / Foz do Iguaçu. The Devil's Throat.

Related loves

Naiá & Jaci
Tupí-Guaraní legend

Naiá & Jaci

The legend of the Vitória-régia

The maiden Naiá, obsessed with becoming a star to join the moon Jaci, sees his reflection in a lake, dives to embrace it and drowns; Jaci turns her into the "star of the waters," the giant Amazon water lily.

Read the story
Popocatépetl & Iztaccíhuatl
Pre-Hispanic Nahua legend

Popocatépetl & Iztaccíhuatl

The warrior who became a volcano

The warrior sent to war who receives a false report of his death; the princess dies of grief and he watches over her body forever. The two become Mexico's twin volcanoes.

Read the story
Ollantay & Cusi Coyllur
Inca world, Peru

Ollantay & Cusi Coyllur

The Inca love with a happy ending

The common-born general Ollantay loves Cusi Coyllur ("Joyful Star"), daughter of emperor Pachacútec; rebuffed for not being royal, he rebels for a decade while she is imprisoned, until the new emperor pardons and reunites them.

Read the story

A thousand more loves await