SHAVANTI INDIANS IN BRAZIL

ABOUT 6000 SHAVANTI LIVED ON SEVEN RESERVATIONS IN SOUTHEASTERN MATO GROSSO, ALONG THE RIO XINGU. THEY SPEAK LANGUAGE OF THE GE LANGUAGE FAMILY.

IN THE 18TH CENTURY THEY CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDERS AND LIVED EAST OF THE PRESENT LOCATION. A GOLD RUSH CAME WHEN SEEKERS CAME HERE IN THE 18TH CENTURY. THE WEALTH OF MINES, 1/5TH WAS PAID TO PORTUGAL; A GOVERNOR WAS SENT TO BRING ORDER TO THE NEW CAPTAINCY.

THESE NEW DISCOVERERS CLASHED WITH THE INDIANS. THE INDIANS ABANDONED VILLAGES AND DISPERSED UNTIL THE MINERS BECAME DISCOURAGED. IN LATE 18TH CENTURY ONE GOVERNOR PACIFIED SEVERAL 1000 SHAVANTE AND SETTLED THEM AT MISSIONS. BY THE 1900'S THE MINES WERE EXHAUSTED , SETTLERS LEFT THE AREA. THE SHAVANTE WHO REMAINED AT THE MISSIONS AFTER EPEDEMICS HAD REDUCED THERE NUMBERS AND RETURNED TO THEIR VILLAGES. ABOUT THE 19TH CENTURY SHAVANTE GROUPS BEGAN TO MOVE WEST SEPARATELY FROM OTHER RELATED GROUPS. ACCORDING TO A LEGEND THE SHAVANTE WERE THOSE WHO HAD COURAGE TO CROSS THE GREAT RIVER.

ALTHOUGH THE SHAVANTE WERE ISOLATED THE INDIAN PROTECTION SERVICE UNDERTOOK THE PACIFICATION OF THIS TRIBE IN THE 1940'S . THEIR RESISTANCE BEGAN TO CRUMBLE. THE LANDS THEY ONCE CONTROLLED WERE SOLD TO PRIVATE INVESTORS, ISOLATING THEIR VILLAGES FROM ONE. BY THE LATE 1950'S , ALL VILLAGES EXCEPT FOR 1 WERE ATTACHED TO GOVERNMENT INDIAN POSTS MISSIONS. EVENTUALLY THE GOVERNMENT GAVE THEM RESERVATIONS. AFTER THIS TIME OF CONTACT ,EPIDEMIC DISEASES HIT THEIR POPULATION AND THEIR POPULATION WAS REDUCED TO 2000 IN THE 1960'S.

DESPITE THEIR LOSS OF POPULATION, THEIR SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IS INTACT . SOME MEN WORK ON FARMS OUTSIDE RESERVATIONS, AND SOME GROW RICE FOR SALE. IN THE 1970's FUNAI GAVE THEM A START TO GROW RICE ON A LARGE SCALE USING. BUT IT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND HAS BEEN STOPPED.

THEIR HABITAT IS A SAVANNAH, WITH A DRY AND WET SEASON. MOST OF THE LAND BETWEEN THE RIVERS IS PLANTED IN SWIDDEN AGRICUTURE. THEY CLEAR GARDENS IN THE SUMMER AND PLANT IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER; THEN THEY HARVEST IN FEBRUARY. THEIR STAPLE CROPS ARE MAIZE., BEANS, PUMPKINS. AND THEY SPENT RELATIVELY LITTLE TIME ON AGRICULTURE. THEY GROW RICE AND OTHER CROPS.

BEFORE THEY LIVED ON THE RESERVATION THEY USED TO GATHER WILD FOODS. THEY ATE EDIBLE TUBERS AND HEARTS OF PALMS. THEY ALSO FOUND MANY FRUITS. WOMEN STILL GO ON COLLECTIVE GATHERING TRIPS ALL DAY. NATIVE PLANTS STILL ARE USED IN THEIR DIET.

THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE PRIMARILY HUNTERS. MEN HUNT ALONE AND WITH OTHERS. IN THE SUMMER THEY SET FIRE TO THE SCRUB. THEY USED TO HUNT WITH BOW AND ARROWS. TODAY THEY HAVE GUNS. THEY EAT TAPIR,PECCARAIES, AND DEER. THEY ROAST THEIR MEAT BY SMOKING. HE GIVES HIS GAME TO HIS WIFE OR MOTHER IN LAW WHO SHARES IT WITH THE HOUSEHOLD.

FISHING IS LESS IMPORTANT AND IS DONE IN THE SUMMER. FAMILIES GO THE RIVER WITH FISH HOOKS AND LINES. THEY USE A FISH PERSON. WHEN A LARGE NUMBER OF FISH ARE CAUGHT THEY SMOKE THEM.
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THEIR VILLAGES ARE LAID OUT IN A CONFIGURATION OF A HORSESHOE THE CHIEFS HOUSE IS AT ONE END .THEY HAVE A BACHELOR'S HUT AS WELL. THE HORSES LOOK LIKE BEEHIVES AND THEY PLANT SAPLINGS AND THEN TIE THEM TO A CENTER POLE. IN THE INTERIOR IS A CENTRAL FIREPLACE. HIS WIFE AND YOUNG CHILDREN SLEEP AROUND THE PERIMETER. THEY HAVE THEIR BELONGINGS IN BASKETS.

THE WOMEN MAKE POTTERRY. GOURDS ARE USED TO HOLD WATER THE BABY IS KEPT IN A BASKET ON THE MOM'S BACK. THEY MAKE ALL KINDS OF BASKETS. THEY ALSO MAKE LARGE MATS FOR SLEEPING, AND SMALLER ONES FOR PLATES. THEY GROW COTTON AND THEY SPIN IT FOR CORDS AND CEREMONIAL NECKLACES. BEFORE CONTACT THEY WORE LITTLE CLOTHING. BODY PAINT WAS RITUAL USES.

THEIR SOCIAL IS LAND BASED ON KINSHIP. EXOGAMUS MOITIES WITH MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP ARE NORM AND THEY EXCHANGE SPOUSES. A MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN IS MARKED BY A WEDDING HUNT - THE GROOM GIVES GIFTS TO THE MOTHER'S BROTHER OF THE BRIDE. AFTER THEY HAVE A CHIKLD THEY MOVE INTO HIS WIFE'S HOUSEHOLD.

THE BOYS HAVE AN INITIATION CEREMONY AND THE GIRLS HAVE NONE. MEN IN OLDER AGE PARTICIPATE IN NIGHTLY COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND THEY BECOME SKILLED ORATORS. THEY PARTICIPATE IN LOG RACES. THE TEAMS ARE NOT MIXED - MEN AGAINST MEN AND WOMEN AGAINST WOMEN. THESE ARE BOTH RITUALS AND ATHLETIC CONTESTS. TWO LENGTHS OF PALM TRUNK ARE CUT . THE WOMEN'S LOG WEIGHS LESS. AFTER THE RACES THEY SING AS WELL.

THEIR SHAVANTI CEREMONY IS SOMETHING THAT TAKES PLACE SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR FOR INITIATING YOUNG MEN. THE MEN GO IN A FOREST NEAR THE VILLAGE WHILE OLDER MEN SING AND SHAKE THEIR RATTLES. THE YOUNG MEN WERE CEREMONIAL HEADRESSES. THE INTERMEDIATE AGE MEN DANCE AGGRESSIVELY IN FRONT OF THE YOUNG MEN. PART OF THE DANCE IS SECRET. THEY MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THE SPIRITS.

IN DREAMS MEN LEARN NEW SONGS FROM ANCESTORS. THEY TEACH THEM TO THE TRIBES. MYTHS ARE TOLD BY ELDERS.

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