Of Tikuna origin, which is considered one of the most populous Indigenous peoples in the Amazon, spreading across Brazil, Peru, and Colombia.
The most well-known legend involving the Samaúma tree is about the origin of light in the world.
According to the Tikuna people, who originated from the Eware *igarapé (*stream) near the Solimões River, in the early days of the Earth, it was always night and the people suffered from the cold and darkness.
They believed that it was a gigantic Samaúma tree, or wotchine, that obstructed the sunlight with its branches and leaves.
That's when Yo'i and Ipi decided to throw the seeds of another tree, the arara-tucupi (Parkia multijuga), in an attempt to pierce holes in the dense foliage. The points of light that pierced through the Samaúma tree and the night sky became the stars.
Yo'i and Ipi also saw a two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) that lived in the canopy of the Samaúma, holding its branches to the sky.
In order to bring more light, they needed to scare away the sloth. Since they couldn't do it alone, they called upon all the animals of the forest to help.
Some versions mention that a small squirrel monkey (Sciurillus pusillus), named Taine, managed to climb the tree and use fire ants to drive away the sloth and cause the Samaúma tree to fall.
The Tikuna people also say that from the fallen trunk of the Samaúma tree, the Solimões River was born and from its branches, the streams and tributaries originated.
They also mention that after some time, Yo'i and Ipi noticed that the stump (napüne) of the tree was sprouting again, and they were afraid it would grow and block the Sun once more.