BARASANA INDIANS IN COLUMBIA

THESE INDIANS LIVE ON UAUPS RIVER AND ALONG MINOR RIVERS. THEY HAVE 17 ETHNIC GROUPS LIVING IN COLUMBIA.THE INDIANS SPEAK EASTERN TUKOAN LANGUAGE. THEY HAVE RANGE OF NETWORK OF EXCHANGES THAT INCLUDE MARRIAGE RITUALS AND COMMUNITIES.

SINCE 1650 A DRASTIC DECREASE IN POPULATION IN THE AMAZON OCCURRED DUE TO SLAVERY, EPIDEMICS, AND YLLOW FEVER. THERE WAS A NEED FOR MANUAL LABOR. THE MISSIONARIES AND COLONISTS WERE LED TO MAKE INCURSIONS INTO THE BACKLANDS OF THE RIVERS NEAR THE AMAZON, CAPTURING INDIANS AS SLAVES AND MASSACURING THOSE WHO RESISTED. THE CITY OF MANUAS BUILT IN 1670, WAS A BASE IN SEARCH FOR SLAVES. AFTER THE DEFEAT OF THE MANOA IN THE RIO NEGRO, THE PORTUGUESE WERE NOT AFFECTED BY THE WHITES. THE COMMERCE IN THE SLAVES WAS SO INTENSE THAT IN THE 1740'S ABOUT 20,000 INDIANS WERE PRISONERS.

THEY HAD OFFICIAL SLAVE TRADE. IN 1740 THE PORTUGUESE CONTACT WITH NATIVES KILLED A HUGE NUMBER OF FOLKS FROM SMALLPOX. CLOTHES MAY HAVE ALSO SPREAD THE DISEASE. BY 1750 AND 1760'S MEASLES WERE ANOTHER EPIDEMIC.

IN 1757 THE INDIANS REVOLTED AGAINST THE MISSIONARIES. THEY DESTROYED CHAPELS AND RELIGIOUS ITEMS KILLING A PRIEST. IN THE 18TH CENTURY THE PAST GOVERNMENT REMOVED THE POWER OF THE MISSIONS AND THEY LOST CONTROL OVER THE VILLAGE. THE MILITARY WERE THE DIRECTORS OF THE NATIVES. FINALLY THE MARQUE DE POMBAL PUT AN END TO SLAVERY AND THE INDIANS WERE ASSIMILATED TO COLONIAL SOCIETY . HE ESTABLISHED A SYSTEM FOR LABOR FOR MEN IN GOOD HEALTH. THEY BUILT HOUSES IN THE COLONIAL TOWN, AND OTHERS WORKED ON PLANTATIONS. THIS SYSTEM WAS NOT RESPECTED AND THE INDIANS WERE EXPLOITED AGAIN. HUNDREDS WERE TAKEN TO COLONIAL TOWNS. BY 1750 THE INDIANS TERRITORY WAS ALL OPEN BY THE PORT MILITARY AND THE INCREASE IN DEPOPULATION OF NATIVES IN VILLAGES. AGAIN THEY USED INDIANS TO WORK ON BOATS AND AGRICULTURE. THEIR AGRICULTURE WAS INDIGO, MANIOC AND CACAO. THE INDIANS MADE MANUAL REVOLTS.

THE RIO NEGRO IS THE LARGEST BLACKWATER RIVER IN THE WORLD. SPECIAQLISTS CHARACTERIZE THESE WATERS AS EXTREMELY ACIDIC AND POOR IN NUTRIENTS. THEY HAVE BEEN IMPOVISHED BY LEACHING. THIS POVERTY HAS AN EFFECT ON THE LIVES OF THE FISH . THE OPPOSITE OCCURS ON THE WHITEWATER RIVERS. THESE WATERS ARE RICH IN NUTRIENTS AND THE FISH OR PIRARUCA ARE ABUNDANT. THE FLOODED LANDS ARE INADEQUATE FOR MANIOC AND IS GROWN IN GARDENS. THIS AREA IS A HIGH AGRO-BIODIVERSITY.

IN FLOODED LANDS THE FISH LAY THEIR EGGS AND THEY ARE PRESERVED BY THE INDIANS. THEY BUILD THEIR HOUSES OF STRAW AND THATCH. THEIR BRUSH AREAS ARE PREFERED HABITAT TO GROW MEDICINAL PLANTS. THEY ALSO CULTIVATE PLANTS IN BRUSH AREAS. THEIR STRATEGIES OF HUNTING AND GATHERING AND LAND MOVEMENT HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE TO NOT DEGRADE THEIR LAND.

THEY GIVE RISE TO DIFFERENT ECOLOGICAL ZONES. THEY ALSO USE SLASH AND BURN AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS TO LET OLD CROPS DRY OUT AND LATER BURNED. EACH FAMILY HAS THREE GARDENS. AN IMPORTANT CHRACTERISTIC IS A RITUAL COMPLEX IN INVOLVING THE USE OF SACRED FLUTES AND TRUMPETS. THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH A MYTHOLOGY INCLUDING AN INTIATION, THE ANCESTORS, WARFARE AND THE SEASONAL CYCLES. \

THE SHAMANS USED HALLUCINOGENIC DRUGS AND CONTACT WITH MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. THE MEMBERS IN THESE CEREMONIES REUNITE DESPITE WITH THE MYTHICAL PAST. THEIR SOCIAL STRUCTURE GAINS GREATER VISIBILITY.

SOCIOAMBIENTAL.ORG