The Tunche
In the Peruvian rainforest, people say a spirit whistles in the dark. Whatever you do, don't whistle back.
What was reported
The tunche is a spirit of the Peruvian Amazon, heard rather than seen. It announces itself with a long, eerie whistle in the forest at night.
People say it's the restless soul of someone who died in the forest, or a guardian of the trees. If you hear it, keep quiet: answer it with a whistle, or mock it, and it will come looking for you.
Explanations offered
The whistle is often linked to a real bird, a tinamou or other night bird, whose call sounds like a person whistling. The tunche has become a favourite of local storytelling and of horror films made in Peru.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- Ucayali, Peru
- Witnesses
- Folklore of the Peruvian Amazon
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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