TACANA INDIANS IN BOLIVIA

THESE 5000 INDIANS LIVE ALONG THE MADRE DE DIOS RIVER. ABOUT 3500 PEOPLE SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE. THE TACANA LANGUAGE BELONGS TO THE TACANA FAMILY AND IT HAS TWO DIALECTS. AFTER 16TH CENTURY MISSIONARIES ESTABLISHED MISSIONS AMONG THEM. THE TACONAS SPOKE QUECHUA. IN SOME REGIONS QUECHUA HAS ENTIRELY REPLACED THE TACONA LANGUAGE. THESE FOLKS WORK FOR CASH AND ARE LABORERS, CATTLE RAISERS, AND ARE SUBSISTENCE FARMERS.

THEY FORAGE FOR VEGETABLES AND FRUITS; MOST IMPORTANT WERE BRAZIL NUTS. FRUIT OF PALM AND TURTLE EGGS WERE SIGNIFICANT. HUNTING WAS A GROUP EFFORT WITH DOGS. THEY DRUG THE FISH WITH SALOMAN TREE AND SHOOT THEM. LARGER FISH ARE CAUGHT USING A WOODEN DOUBLE HOOK, THE DESIGN OF WHICH IS UNIQUE. THEY RAISE CHICKENS, ADOPTED CATTLE AND HORSE HUSBANDRY. TAGANA ARE ALSO HORTICULRUALISTS.

THEIR GARDENS ARE SCATTERED AND MUCH TIME IS SPENT FROM TRAVELING FROM EACH ONE TO THE OTHER. THEY HAVE BANANA AND PLANTAINS ALONG RIVERS. SOME TACUNA GROUPS, LIVED IN DWELLINGS AVERAGING 18 X 6 M AND HOUSING UP TO 20 FAMILIES. THEY SLEPT IN SMALL HUTS DESIGNED TO EXCLUDE MOSQUITOS. SOME GROUPS SLEPT ON THE GROUND. A CHIEF GAINS HIS PROVISION BY HIS PERSONALITY, HAVING A LARGE FAMILY. SOMETIMES A GROUP SPLITS IF THE NEW CHIEF'S BROTHER WISHES TO BE A CHIEF HIMSELF. A CHIEF'S FOLLOWERS MUST WORK FOR HIM.

CHILDREN MARRY AROUND AGE 10. WOMEN DELIVER THE CHILDREN IN THE FOREST. THEY PLAY A BALL GAME IN WHICH THEY HIT THE BALL WITH THEIR BELLIES. THEY PROTECT THEMSELVES WITH BELTS.

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