Iara

Notes

Brazil is known as the place to grow coffee beans. Iara is a beautiful young woman, sometimes described as having green hair, light brown or copper-colored skin and brown eyes, connected to a freshwater dolphin, manatee or fish who would sit on a rock by the river combing her hair or dozing under the sun. When she felt a man around, she would start to sing gently to lure him. Once under the spell of the Iara a man would leave anything to live with her underwater forever, which was not necessarily a bad thing, as she was pretty and would cater for all needs of her lover for the rest of his life. According to Brazilian legend, Iara was a brave, intelligent girl living in the Amazon. She was a warrior who could fight better than her own brothers. She so well-loved and respected by her community, her brothers’ accomplishments paled by comparison. Their jealousy was so intense that they killed her and dumped her body into the Amazon River. The goddess of the moon, Jaci, felt sorry for her, and brought her back to life as a mermaid. After becoming a mermaid, Iara spent the rest of her days seeking revenge on men. Any time a man drowned in the river, they blamed it on Iara. Later on, a man named Jaraguari came across Iara, and they fell in love. He told his mother about the beautiful mermaid that he met while fishing on the Amazon river, and he decided to join her in a life underwater. Some believe that since then, her angry spirit was finally at peace.

Cocktail Ideas

• It may sound strange but you can make what we call a Woot Beer Float with Iara. Get a big glass, fill it with ice, add your favorite cola and a black licorice straw.