SHAVENTE INDIANS IN BRAZIL

ABOUT 6000 SHAVANTE LIVE ON SEVEN SEPARATE RESERVATIONS IN SOUTHEASTERN MATO GROSSO ALONG THE RIO XINGU.THEY SPEAK A GE LANGUAGE FAMILY.

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

THESE NEW DISEASES CLASHED WITH THE INDIANS. THE INDIANS ABANDONED VILLAGES AND DISPERSED UNTIL THE MINERS BECAME DISCOURAGED. IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY ONE GOVERNOR PACIFIED SEVERAL 1000 SHAVANTE AND SETTLED THEM AT MISSIONS. BY THE 1900'S THE MEN WERE EXHAUSTED AND SETTLERS LEFT THE AREA. THE SHAVANTE WHO REMAINED AT THE MISSIONS AFTER EPIDEMICS HAD REDUCED THEIR NUMBERS AND RETURNED TO THEIR VILLAGES.

ABOUT THE 19TH CENTURY THE SHAVANTE GROUPS BEGAN TO MOVE WEST SEPARATING FROM OTHER RELATED GROUPS. ACCORDING TO A LEGEND THE SHAVANTE WERE THOSE WHO HAD COURAGE HAD COURAGE TO CROSS THE GREAT RIVER.

ALTHOUGH THE SHAVANTE WERE ISOLATED 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, ONE OF ALL VILLAGES EXCEPT ONE WERE ATTACHED TO GOVERNMENT INDIAN POSTS OR MISSIONS. EVENTUALLY THE GOVERNMENT GAVE THEM RESERVATIONS. AFTER THIS TIME OF CONTACT, EPIDEMIC DISEASES HIT AND THEIR POPULATION WAS REDUCED TO 200 IN THE 1960'S.

DI SPITE THEIR LOSS OF POPULATION, THEIR SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IS INTACT. SOME MEN WORK ON FARMS OUTSIDE THE RESERVATION, AND SOME GROW RICE FOR SALE. IN THE 1970'S FUNAI GAVE THEM A STAR T TO GROW RICE ON A LARGE SCALE. BUT IT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND HAS BEEN STOPPED. THEIR HABITAT IS A SAVANNAH WITH DRY AND WET SEASONS. MOST OF THE LAND THAT LIES BETWEEN THE RIVERS IS PLANTED IN SWIDDEN AGRICULTURE. THEY CLEAR GARDENS IN THE SUMMER AND PLANT IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER THEN HARVEST IN FEBRUARY. THEIR STAPLE CROPS ARE MAIZE , BEANS, PUMPKINS, AND THEY SPENT RELATIVELY LITTLE TIME IN ON AGRICULTURE. THEY GROW RICE AND OTHER CROPS.

BEFORE THEY LIVED ON RESERVATIONS THEY USED TO GATHER WILD FOODS. THEY ATE EDIBLE TUBERS, AND HEARTS OF PALM. THEY ALSO FOUND MANY FRUITS. WOMEN STILL GO ON COLLECTIVE GATHERING TRIPS ALL DAY. NATIVE PLANTS ARE STILL 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 TAPPIR. PECARRIES, AND DEER. THEY ROAST THEIR MEAT
BY SMOKING. HE GIVES HIS GAME TO HIS WIFE OR ANOTHER MOTHER IN LAW WHO SHARES IT WITH THE HOUSEHOLD OR POSSIBLY TO OTHER HOUSEHOLDS.

FISHING IS LESS IMPORTANT AND IS DONE IN THE SUMMER. FAMILIES GO TO THE RIVER WITH FISHOOKS AND LINES. THEY USE A FISH POISON. WHEN LARGE NUMBERS OF FISH ARE CAUGHT THEY SMOKE THEM.

THEIR VILLAGES ARE LAID OUT IN A CONFIGURATION OF A HORSE SHOE CHIEFS HOUSE IS AT ONE END. THEY HAVE A BACHELOR'S HUT AS WELL. THE HOUSES 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 POTTERY. GOURDS ARE USED TO HOLD WATER. THE BABY IS KEPT IN A BASKET ON 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 HAS RITUAL USES.

THEIR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION HAS IS BASED ON KINSHIP. EXOGAMOUS MOIETIES WITH MEMBERSHIP ARE NORMAL AND AND THEY EXCHANGE SPOUSES. A MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN IS MARKED BY A WEDDING HUNT. THE BRIDEGROOM PRESENTS GAME TO MOTHER'S BROTHER OF A BRIDE. AFTER THEY HAVE A CHILD 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 NIGHTLY COUNCIL MEETINGS. THEY BECOME SKILLED ORATORS. THEY PARTICIPATE IN LOG RACES. THEY ARE NOT MIXED - MEN AGAINST MEN AND WOMEN AGAINST WOMEN. THESE ARE BOTH RITUAL AND ATHLETIC CONTESTS. TWO LENGTHS OF PALM TRUNK ARE CUT. THE WOMEN'S LOG WEIGHS LESS. AFTER THE RACES THEY SING AS WELL.

THERE HELD A CEREMONY FOR INITIATING YPOUNG MEN SEVERASL TIMES A YEAR. THE MEN GO TO A CLEARING IN THE FOREST NEAR THE VILLAGE WHILE OLDER MEN SING AND SHAKE THEIR RATTLE. THE YOUNG MEN WEAR CEREMONIAL HEADDRESSES. THE INTERMEDIATE AGE MEN DANCE AGRESSIVELY 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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