CULINA TRIBE IN BRAZIL

THE CULINA CALL THEMSELVES MADILLA PEOPLE AND DISTINGUISH SEVENTY OR MORE SUBGROUPS. THEY ARE NAMED BY ANIMALS. THEY LIVE IN VILLAGES SCATTERED ALONG THE RIVERS OF PURUS-JURUA IN WESTERN BRAZIL. THEY SPEAK ARAWAK LANGUAGES. THEIR PREHISTORY IS HOTLY DEBATED. THE ORIGINAL ARAWAKEN SPEAKERS LIVED NEAR THE PRESENT CITY OF OF MANUAUS AROUND 3000 B.C. IN THE ABSCENCE OF RESEARCH LITTLE ELSE IS KNOWN. IT APPEARS THAT THE CULINA FIRST AVOIDED CONTACT WITH RUBBER TAPPERS AND THEY DID HARD MANUAL LABOR. THEY HUNTED GAME. THEY CONTACTED THE OTHER BRAZILIANS WHO PROVED TO BE DESTRUCTIVE TO THEM. AMONG THE CULINA, THEIR GROUPS LIVING ALONG THE JURUA AND ENVIRON RIVERS THERE IS CONSIDERABLE CONTACT WITH BRAZILIANS. THEY RELY ON BRAZILIAN LOCAL ECONOMY. THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO HAVE THERE TERRITORY DEMARCATED. THEY WERE SUBJECTED TO SLAVERY, TORTURE AND MURDER. THEY GOT DISEASES AND MANY FOLKS DIED.

THE CULINA CONTINUED TO WORK RUBBER TAPPERS AND FARMERS ALONG THE RIVERS. BY THE LATE 1800'S THE CULINA BUILT THEIR VILLAGES DEEP IN THE FORESTS BETWEEN MAJOR WATERWAYS.

THEIR HOUSES WERE BUILT IN THE FORESTS IN LONGHOUSE STYLE. THE CENTRAL SPACE WAS USED FOR THE RITUALS AND COMMUNAL ACTIVITIES. THESE VILLAGES COULD HOLD ABOUT 300 INDIVIDUALS.

THE MOVEMENT TO RIVER BANKS PRODUCED CHANGES IN SETTLEMENT PATTERNS. FAMILIES BUILT SEPARATE HOUSES ABOUT 1 METER ABOVE GROUND. THEY HAVE A SINGLE ENCLOSED ROOM WITH A LARGE PLATFORM FOR COOKING. THESE LARGE VILLAGESEXTENDED FAMILIES WITH 200 PEOPLE.

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