HUARARA INDIANS IN BOLIVIA

HUARAYA INDIANS LIVE IN MADRE DE DIOS. IF THE BOLIVIAN DEPARTMENT OF PANDO COULD HELP THEM THAT WOULD BE GOOD. THEIR NAME DATES TO THE TIME OF INCA RULE. SINCE THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY THESE PEOPLE HAVE MANY SUBGROUPS.

THEY LIVE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MADRE DE DIOS RIVER TO THE ANDEAN SLOPES. THE REGION HAS MANY RIVERS. DURING THE 1900'S THEY HAD ABOUT 3000 FOLKS. THEIR POPULATION HAS SINCE DECREASED. THERE IS NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF THESE PEOPLE. THEY HAD NO CONTACT BETWEEN THE HUARAYO AND THE INCA EMPIRE. THE HUARAYO COLLECT INCA YOUTHS FOR SERVICE IN THE INCA ARMY. THEY KNEW WEAVING GREW CORN USED A SLING.

THE HUARAYO CONTACTS WITH WESTERNERS BEGAN IN 1539. THE EXPEDITION OF MERCEDIAN MISSINARIES COME TO THE AREA OF HUARAYO IN 1587. BY 1700'S THEY MOVED TO RIO MADRE DE DIOS UNDER PRESSURE TO ASSIMILATE TO WESTERN WAYS.

A SECOND WAY OF RUBBER BOOM IN 1941 HAD A HARMFUL EFFECT UPON THE HUARAYA. BY 1960 THEY MOVED TO THE VILLAGE OF PALMOREAL. IN THE PAST THEY LIVED IN COMMUNAL HOUSES BUT TODAY THEY USE PALM LEAF THATCH FOR THE FLOOR. THEY ARE HUNTER AND FISHERS AND MANY GROW CROPS THAT THEY SELL IN MARKET. IN ORDER TO MARRY A YOUNG MAN HAS TO SERVE HIS PARENTS IN LAW FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND PROVIDE THEM GOOD FOOD FOR SEVERAL YEARS! THEY MAKE FABRIC FROM BARK BEATENWITH WOODEN CLUBS.

THEY TRADED WITH THE INCA. WOMEN HELP WITH PLANTING AND HARVESTING. CHRISTIANITY IS NOT ESPECIALLY STRONG ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCHERS. THEY FEAR EVIL SPIRITS. THE SHAMAN IS IMPORTANT AND HE MEDIATES BETWEEN LIVING PEOPLE AND THE SOUL OF THE DEAD. THE SHAMAN IS A HEALER AND A SEER. HE USES HIS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF MEDICINAL AND HERBAL PLANTS. THIS IS PASSED TO HIS ELDEST SON. BY MEANS OF A HIGH PITCHED WHISTLING THE ULCERS OF A PATIENT OPENAND WORMS JUMPED OUT!

IN THE PAST THE HUARAYO DRANK AYAHUASCA AND REACHED A DREAM STATE. THE SHAMAN EXPLAINED THE DREAMS AND INTERPRETED WHO OR WHAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ILLNESS. TODAY THEY NO LONGER DRINK FERMENTED DRINKS. THEY BELIEVE A DISEASE IS THE THORN OF THE CHONTA PALM SENT INTO A VICTIM'S BODY. BY SHAMANISTIC MEANS THEY BLOW TOBACCO FUMES OVER THE PATIENT , SINGING AND MASSAGING THE AFFECTED PART OF THE BODY. THEY MAY SUCK A THORN FROM THE BODY AND DESTROY IT.

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