Chaná mythology is a set of stories and beliefs of Chaná people about the world that they live in.
Tijuiném, also written as Tihuinem (or am tihuinem u-gil), is the god of Chanás, to whom the father of gods put in charge of the mission to populate the mother earth, until then uncultivated, to create the Chanás and other living beings, animals and plants. It give them a language, a set of social rules and the duty to respect the nature and Tijuiném as their god.
According their mythology, Chanás came from a mythical place named timucó (or timujú), far away in the north and where in the distant past their ancestors lived. From there, they travelled until they reached the region surrounding the Paraná and Uruguay rivers near their mouths.
Adá verá ug atá or freshwater rays according to a Chaná legend, they appeared when a woman who killed her children crushing them on the shores of rivers was punished by the gods because of her actions, transforming her into a flattened fish as she left her children.
Amarí dul (flying flower) or butterfly, according the legend, they would appear after the story of a child girl of a Chaná community, of kind-hearted nature, who took care and healed animals and plants. Because of that she was nicknamed nam nado (caress). One day, the girl, who was usually cultivating a garden together with her sisters, was bitten by a viper. She, as she had a feeling she was going to die, asked to be buried with her flowers, but the community rules did not allow in that way in order to protect mother earth, but the bodies of deceased children should first be moved in a resting canoe, put over a tree of a forest in order to allow their soul to reach the stars, and after that, bury their bodies. But Tijuiném felt sorry for her and made the flowers from girl's garden transform into butterflies to fly around her resting cradle to accompany her during her transition.
Ndiní lantéc ("talking bird") or parrot, would have been a person responsible of guard but because he was very talkative, he did not fulfill his duty and let the enemy perform an attack. Therefore, a Tijuiném's messenger spirit punished him by transforming him into that bird.
Corú or cockspur coral tree was born where a hunchback person was buried following this person's death after having heroically helped and defended Chanás.
Almost every fish was considered part of a mythical navy fighting against the piranha, considered evil due to their nature.
Tijuí taé or demon is an evil spirit who could not be seen in plain sight, but it could get into persons' minds to talk to them and convince them to commit evil deeds.
Nem or spirits of deceased persons could ascend to the sky or remain on Earth to take care of living people or to torment them. They would appear during the nights and could send messages from god to the living people's dreams.