SHARAHAHUA INDIANS IN PERU

THE SHARANAHA INDIANS OR GOD PEOPLE LIVE IN RIO PURUS,PERU. THESE INDIANS HAVE ONLY 90 PEOPLE AND THEY ALSO INCLUDE THE MASTANAWA, CHANDINAHUA AND PERHAPS JAMINAWA PEOPLES. THE FOLKS NUMBER 1300 - 1900. THEY SPEAK PANOAN. THE SHARANAHUA LIVED IN UPPER RIO TARUACO, TO THE NORTH. FLEEING A PERUVIAN ATTACK THEY MIGRATED TO THE RIO CURANJA IN ABOUT 1935. THEY LEFT THE CURANJA, AFTER HAVING MEASLES. IN THE NORTH THEY HAD EPIDEMICS OF THE FLU, WHOOPING COUGH AND MEASLES THAT CUT THEIR POPULATION IN HALF. THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF MAKING CANOES UNTIL 1960'S. A FEW NOW HAVE BEGUN TO BE MIGRANT LABORERS TO OBTAIN CASH. THEY TRADE SKINS OF JAGUARS AND OCELOTS WITH MERCHANTS ON THE RIVER. THEY GET MODERN ITEMS- GUNS, KNIVES, BELTS, RUM, NEEDLES AND FLASHLIGHTS. THEY GO DOWN THE RIVER TO SELL THEIR SKIN. PREVIOUSLY THEY WOULD KILL A TRADER WHO THEY THOUGHT HAD CHEATED THEM.

UNTIL THE 1950S THEIR GARDENS WERE IN UPLAND GARDENS. THEIR GARDENS ARE BOTH ON UPLANDS AND IN THE FLOODPLAINS. MEN GROW SLOW MATURING MANIOC IN SOILS THAT DID NOT FLOOD THEIR GARDENS PRODUCE 60 PERCENT OF SHARNAHUA FOOD.

WOMEN GATHERED VEGETABLES FRUITS AND FUNGI FROM THE FORESTS AND TAKE SHRIMP AND SMALL FISH LIVING IN WATERLOGGED BAMBOO FROM THE RIVER. THE MEN USE SHOT GUNS TO HUNT FOR DEER, PECCARIES, CAPYBARAS TO PACAS. SOME TIMES THEY WOULD END UP WITH A LESS DESIRABLE BIRD , OR GAME ANIMAL ORDEER. HUNTING IS THEIR ONE OCCUPATION OF OLDER BOYS AND MEN. IT PROVIDES 30% OF THEIR FOOD. DURING DRY SEASON, THEY USE POISON TO STUN THE FISH IN SHALLOW WATER. THE MEN SPEAR THE LARGER FISH FROM FROM CANOE WHILE WOMEN CATCH SMALL FISH

THE SARANAHUA VILLAGE IS SMALL USUALLY WELL UNDER 200 PEOPLE. THEY HAVE HOUSES LAID OUT IN TWO PARALLEL LINES. THE HOUSES ARE LARGE VERSIONS OF THE PERUVIANS IN THE JUNGLE. THEY MAKE THATCHED ROOFS ON TOP OF THEIR WOODEN HOUSES. THEY HAVE A RAINY SEASON SO THEY BUILD THEIR HOUSES A METER ABOVE GROUND. THEY HAVE DOMESTIC DOGS AND CHICKENS. THEY HAVE A SEPARATE COOK HOUSE . THESE HOUSES ARE CLEARED OF VEGETABLES THEY HAVE A SEPARATE COOK HOUSE . THESE HOUSES ARE CLEARED OF VEGETABLES TO PREVENT MICE, INSECTS, AND SNAKES.

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