KAIABI INDIANS IN BRAZIL

THE KAIABI INDIANS HAVE VIGOROUSLY RESISTED THE INVASION OF THEIR LANDS BY THE RUBBER COMPANIES. SINCE THE END OF 19TH CENTURY. AFTER THE 1950'S THE LAND WAS DIVIDED INTO GROUPS. MOST KAIABI MOVED TO THE INDIAN PARK. THEY PRACTICED DIVERSE AGRICULTURAL WITH A COMPLEX DESIGNS BASED ON THEIR MYTHOLOGY. THEY ARE ACTIVE IN INDIGENOUS MOVEMENT ORGANIZED IN DEFENSE OF THE PARK'S INTERESTS.. THESE NATIVES WERE CONSIDERED WILD AND VERY WARLIKE UNTIL THE 1900'S. MANY CONFLICTS TOOK PLACE WITH RUBBER TAPPERS, TRAVELERS, AND FUNCTIONARIES FROM THE INDIAN PROTECTION SERVICE. LATER THE INDIANS WERE INDUCED TO WORK FOR THE RUBBER COMPANIES.

THEY REMOVED TIMBER AND PLANTED FARMS. BY THE 1950'S THE LAND HAD BEEN DIVIDED INTO PLOTS BY THE STATE. THIS EXPEDITION MET THE KAIABI IN A SITUATION OF CONFLICT WITH NO LIKELIHOODOF IMPROVEMENT. THE MIGRATION TO OTHER AREAS WITHIN THE TERRITORY AND ARMED RESISTANCE TO THE INVADERS WAS NOT FEASIBLE. NO ONE SUPPORTED THE NATIVES FOR THEIR LANDS. THE INDIAN PROTECTION SERVICE ACTED AGAINST THEM IN RECRUITING THEM TO WORK AGAINST THE THE RUBBER COMPANY. OR THEY COULD MOVE MOVE TO THEIR INDIGENOUS PARK. THERE WAS A MIGRATION TO THIS PARK AFTER INVOLVEMENT WITH THE EXPEDITION. THERE WAS STILL A LOT OF CONFLICT. THIS LEFT DEEP MARKS AND DIVIDED THEM. THERE WAS A SMALL GROUP WHICH DID NOT REMOVE TO INDIGENOUS PARK.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY 1000 FOLKS HERE, AND THEIR GROWTH RATE IS GOING UP. THEY NOW HAVE BETTER MECHANICAL ASSISTANCE AND HIGH BIRTH RATES. THEY HAD SMALL FAMILY UNITS IN THEIR VILLAGES EXTENDED THEIR FAMILIES INTO LARGER UNITS. THERE ARE ADVANTAGES OF LIVING IN LARGER UNITS.

SETTLEMENTS RANGE FROM SMALL ONE FAMILY GROUPS. BEFORE TRANSFERENCE THE KAIABI HOUSES WERE VERY LARGE SHELTERS FOR MANY MEMBERS. THEY WERE BUILT USING STRAW THATCHED ROOFS. THESE FOLKS ARE STRONGLY AGRICULTURAL WHICH THEY KEPT AS THEY MIGRATED TO A NE COUNTRY. THEY CULTIVATED PLANTS AND HAD AN ELABORATE SYSTEM . THEY PLANTED MANIOC SWIDDENS AND USED TO HARVEST VARIOUS PLANTS SUCH AS CORN, COTTON, POTATOES, YAMS, BANANAS, BEANS, PUMPKINS AND WATERMELONS. THEIR STAPLES OF THEIR DIET IS MANIOC FLOUR AND FISH. IT IS COMPLIMENTED CASA SAVA BREAD AND FRUITS. WITH INCREASED SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR OF THE GROUP THEY GOT ALOT MORE FISH. THEY HAVE A RICH MATERIAL CULTURE AND MAKE BASKETS AND COLT SIEVES. THEY ARE DECORATED WITH FIGURES FROM THE GROUP'S MYTHOLOGY. THEY ALSO WEAVE COTTON
HAMMOCKS.

THE KAIABI INDIANS ARE WARRIORS. THEY HAVE MANY RITUALS FOR MEMBERS WHO HAVE DIED.

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