HUARAYO IN PERU

THE HUARAYO ARE IN SOUTH AMERICA IN PERUVIAN MADRE DE DIOS. THEIR NAME HUARAYO DATES TO INCA TIMES. THEY LIVED ON THE RIVER BASIN. IN 1990'S THE HUARAYO LIVE IN A FEW SCATTERED LOCALES. AT THIS TIME THERE WERE 3000 PEOPLE. THERE IS NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF THE HUARAYO. THE MADRE DE DIOS AND BENI VALLEYS WERE PROBABLY ONE OF THE MIGRATED ROUTES FOR PROTO - ARAWAKANS. THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF WEAVING AND RAISING MAIZE CAME FROM ANDEAN INDIANS.

IN 1539 HUARAYO CONTACTS BEGAN WITH PEDRO ANZULES. AT ABOUT 1587 HIS MISSIONARIES CAME HERE SEVERAL TYPES OF MISSIONS WERE BUILT, THE HUARAYO WERE UNDER PRESSURE TO MOVE CLOSER TO RIO MADRE DE DIAS. IN THE 1900'S THE DOMINICAN MISSIONARIES STARTED TO OPERATE IN IN THEIR AREA. THE SECOND WAVE OF RUBBER BOOM HAD A HARMFUL EFFECT IN 1941 TO 1945. THE REMAINING HUARAYO FAMILIES SETTLED ON THE BANKS OF THE MADRE DE DIOS. IN 1960 THEY CHOSE A PLACE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RIVER AND BUILT A VILLAGE CALLED ALMAREAL. THESE FOLKS DID NOT BECOME ACCULTURATED. IN THE PAST THEY WERE DIVIDED INTO MANY LOCAL GROUPS THE EXTENDED FAMILIES USUALLY NAMED THEMSELVES AFTER FAMILIES. ABOUT 150 INDIANS LIVED AT TRINDO CONCEPTION MISSION, BUT THEY HAD EPIDEMICS AND THE MISSION CLOSED.

CHRISTIANITY WAS NOT ESPECIALLY STRONG. ANIMISM IS NOT ESPECIALLY STRONG. THEY FEARED EVIL SPIRITS. THEY BELIEVE PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING OR LIVING THING HAS A SPIRIT COMPONENT. THE MOST POWERFUL SPIRITS ARE THE EDOSIKIANI AND THE WATER SPIRIT-ENASHAGRIA. THE HUARAYO BELIEVE THAT ANIMALS ORIGINATED BY METAMORPHIS FROM HUMANS. THEIR SHAMANS MEDIATE BETWEEN THE LIVING PEOPLE AND THE SOULS AFTER DEAD. THE SHAMAN IS A HEALER. THE SHAMAN HEALS BY SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE OF MEDICINAL HERBS. THIS KNOWLEDGE IS PASSED TO HIS ELDEST SON. HE HAS MANY CURING PRACTICES THEY USE A HIGH PITCH WHISTLING TO CURE ULCERS OF A HIGH PATIENT.

THEIR ART IS LIMITED TO BODY AND FACE PAINTING. THEY MADE FAEATHER DIADEMS AND NECKLACES FROM ANIMAL TEETH. THEIR MYTHOLOGY DIADEMS THEY MADE FEATHER DIADEMS AND NECLACES FROM ANIMAL TEETH. THEIR MYTHOLOGY TREATS THE ORIGIN MYTH OF THE HURAYO AND THE FLOOD. THEY BELIEVE ANIMALS USED TO LIVE AS PEOPLE.

TO CURE PEOPLE A SHAMAN MAY USE HERBS, OR BLOW TOBACCO. FUMES OVER THE PATIENT, SING MASSAGE TO THE AFFECTED PART OF THE BODY. THEY SUCK THE PAINFUL PLACE . EVERY MAN THEY BELIEVE POSSESSES THREE SOULS. THE FIRST SOUL THINKS AND TALKS AFTER THE DEATH OF A PERSON. THE SECOND SOUL LEAVES FOR THE DEPTH OF WATERS. AND THE THIRD STAYS AND LOOKS AFTER THE BODY. FOOD IS BURIED WITH THE DECEASED.

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