KASHINAWA INDIANS IN PERU

KASHINAWA PROBABLY HAVE LIVED IN THE GENERAL AREA WHERE THEY ARE SINCE NO LATER THAN A.D. 1200. BUT OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR PRESENCE IN THE REGION DATES FROM REPORTS BY WILLIAM CHANDLESS IN 1860'S. BEGINNING AT THAT TIME, BRAZILIANS FROM THE STATE BEGIN TO MAKE EXPEDITIONS DURING THE DRY SEASON TO EXPLOIT RUBBER, SARSAPARILLO, CACAO, AND COPAIBA OIL. LATER THE COLONISTS FROM NORTH EASTERN BRAZIL. THESE EARLY CONTACTS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN PEACEFUL. THESE EARLY CONTAQCTS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN PEACEFUL. BY 1900 SOME RUBBER WORKERS STAGED PLANNED MASACRES AND ANGLOS. BROUGHT DISEASES BOTH OF WHICH DESTROYED , AND ANGLOS BROUGHT DESTROYED MANY KASHINAWA. BY 1910 SOME OF THESE INDIANS WORKED FOR RUBBER COMPANIES FOR BRAZILIAN BOSSES, AS THEY STILL DO. BY 1910 SOME OF THE INDIANS WORKED FOR RUBBER COMPANIES FOR RUBBER COMPANIES FOR BRAZILIAN BOSSES A THEY STILL DO. OTHERS MOVED TO RIO CARANJA IN RELATIVE ISOLATION UNTIL THE 1940'S WHEN THEY LIVED WITH BRAZILIAN SETLLERS. THEY BECAME CATHOLICS.

BY THE 1970'S THE STATE OPENED UP THE HWY WHICH BROUGHT MORE CATTLE AND A CONTINUAL LAND OF EXPECTATION. THIS BROUGHT STRUGGLES FOR LAND ISUES BETWEEN RANCERS, THE KACHINAWA, AND RUBBER TAPPERS. THEY HAD A MOVEMENT TO EASTABLISH INDIGENOUS AREAS AS THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT DIRECTED. IN 1955 THE US MISSIONARIES BEGAN WORK WITH THE KASHINAWA IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH BILINGUAL SCHOOLS AND CONVERT THEM TO CHRISTIANS. THE KACHINAWA CAN'T MAINTAIN MUCH OF THEIR INDIGENOUS CULTURE.

THE KASHINAWA BELIEVE ALL OF NATURE INCLUDING HUMANS HAVE AN INVISIBLE COMPONENT CALLED "YUSHIN". HUMANS HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THE VISIBLE PART OF THE WORLD. SPIRITS USE INVISIBLE PARTS. SPIRITS CAN BE PLAYFUL, MEAN, OR SPITEFUL. SPIRITS CAN BE SEEN DURING DREAMS WHILE UNCONSCIOUS AND UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A HALLUCINOGEN, BREW MADE FROM A VINE. CATHOLICISM MISSIONARIES HAVE INTRODUCED NEW RELIGIOUS IDEAS BUT HAVE NOT ELIMINATED THESE TRADITIONAL BELIEFS. RELIGIOUS PRACTIONERS ACTED AS MEDIATORS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.

THEY HAVE THREE PRIMARY CEREMONIES AND INITIATION RITES.AFTER CHILDREN ARE INITIATED BETWEEN 9 AND 12, THEY BEGIN TO TAKE ON AND ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES. THE HEADMAN RITUAL IS HELD WHENEVER TENSIONS WITHIN THE VILLAGE ARE THREATENED. IT HELPS BRING UNITY TO THE MEN.

SOME MEN HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF HERBAL TREATMENT WHEN ASKED IF ILLNESS IS NOT RESPONSIVE TO HERBAL REMEDIES. SOME MEN HAVE HERBAL TREATMENT WHEN ASKED. IF ILLNESS IS NOT RESPONSIVE TO HERBAL TREATMENT, THEY MAY BE TREATED BY A SHAMAN. THEY BELIEVE DEATH ENDS. SOME OF THE PEOPLE'S SPIRITS JOIN THE SPIRITS OF THE ANCESTORS AND SOME RETURN TO THE VILLAGE.

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