CHAYAHUITA INDIANS IN PERU

THESE INDIANS ONCE LIVED IN RIO TILLAY IN PERU. THE 17TH SLAVE RAIDS CUT THEIR POPULATION DRASTICALLY AND WERE PROBABLY RESPONSIBLE FOR PUSHING MOST OF THEM TO THEIR PRESENT LOCATION IN THE REGION OF THE HEADWATERS OF THE RIO PARANAPURA AS WELL AS TO THE REGION AS WELL AS TO THE CHAHUAPANAS RIVER. THEIR POPULATION IS 6000. SOME OF THE CHAYAHUITA LIVED AT A JESUIT MISSION FOR A FEW YEARS AFTER IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1654. THEY EVENTUALLY RETURNED TO FOREST AFTER THE MISSIONARIES LEFT. SOME 400 LIVED IN AT ANOTHER MISSION IN THE 18TH CENTURY. THES INDIANS ARE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH WHITES AND ENTER THE CASH ECONOMY BY RAISING AND SELLING RICE, BEANS, AND CHICKINS. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE CLOSE, MOST SPEAK CHAYAHUITA LANGUAGE.

THEY RAISED SWEET POTATOES, MANIOC, AND MAIZE. THEY HUNTED WITH BLOWGUNS, BOWS AND ARROWS, BLINDS AND TRAPS. THE TRADITIONAL HOUSE WAS PROBABLY GABLED AND HAD WALLS. THE FOLKS SLEPT ON PLATFORMS, BEDS AND RESTED ON HAMMOCKS. THEY MADE 3 TYPES OF BASKETS, SEIVES, CONTAINERS AND CARRYING BASKETS. THEIR POTTERY WAS DISTINCTIVE - IT WAS INCISED WITH FINGERNAILS AND COLORED WHITE ON TOP AND RED ON THE BOTTOM. FIRE WAS STARTED USING A FIRE DRILL. THEY TRIBE MOSTLY WERE NAKED AND SOME DECORATED THEIR BODY WITH FEATHERS IN THEIR HAIR, BLACKENED THEIR TEETH, AND TATTOED THEIR BODIES WITH PALM NEEDLES AND RUBBER SOFT PIGMENT. THEY WORE SPANISH CLOTHES BY THE 1700'S.

DURING PUBERTY THE GIRLS WERE IN SEPARATE HOUSES FOR 8 DAYS. AFTER MARRIAGE THEIR RESIDENCE WAS MATRILOCAL FOR A PERIOD THEN PERMANENTLY PATRILOCAL. AFTER A BABY IS BORN THE PARENTS ARE CONFINED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. CHRISTIANITY HAS LARGELY REPLACED NATURE BELIEFS.

EVERY-CULTURE.COM