AKAIWAIO INDIANS

AKAWAIO INDIANS LIVE IN ALONG THE GUIANA - VENEZUELA BORDER. KAPON OR PEOPLE IS THE NAME THEY CALL THEMSELVES. THERE LIVES IN THE UPPER BASIN MAZUNI RIVER, THE ESSINUIBO TRIBUTARY RISING IN THE PAKARAIMA MTS. THEY SHARE VILLAGES WITH THE PEMON IN VENEZUELA. THERE ARE ABOUT 6000 FOLKS HERE. THEIR POPULATION HAS SINCE INCREASED.

THEY TRADED FROM BERBREE. IN 1669 THE AKAWAIO WERE ONE OF THE GREAT NATIONS WHO LIVED IN THE UPLANDS OF THE GIANA. THEY POLICED THE FOREST . IN MID 18TH CENTURY SPANISH SETTLED IN MISSIONS. THE AKAIWAIO VISITED THE LOWLANDS AND WERE EMPLOYED AS GUIDES, HUNTERS, AND FOREST WORKERS AND WOOD CUTTERS. IN 1946 AN UPPER MAZARUNI RIVER AND GOVERNMENT STATION WERE CREATED. THIS CHANGED THE AKAIWAIO AUTONOMY AND EXPERIENCED GREAT CHANGES. THEIR NEIGHBORS THE PEMON HAVE ALSO RAIDED AND TRADED AND INTERMARRIED. THE CARIBS WERE TRADITIONAL ENEMIES.

THE AKAIWAIO WERE SLASH AND BURN CULTIVATORS. THEY MADE A CASAVA BREAD FROM BITTER MANIOC. THEY MAKE MANY LOW ALCOHOL DRINKS. THEY GROW BANANAS, SUGAR, CANE, SWEET POTATOES, YAMS,TARO GOURDS, ETC. THEY HUNT DEER , PECCARIES, AGOUTIS, TAPIR AND BIRDS. THEY USE FISH POISON AND BASKET TRAPS FOR FISHING. FROM THE 60'S GOLD AND MINING WAS FULL TIME. MINING HAS RESULTED IN SOME NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF VILLAGE LIFE.

THEY TRAVEL TO THE COST TO WORK AND BARTER FOR METAL TOOLS, UTENSILS, CLOTH, BEADS, SALT AND OTHER GOODS. THEY BROUGHT THEIR GOODS TO THEM.

WORK IS SEXUALLY ORIENTED . THE MEN HUNT, FISH, DO TRADING. WOMEN GET FIRE WOOD, CARE FOR HOMES, AND CHILDREN. MEN MAKE BASKETS ARE WOOD WORKERS. MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE VACATE LAND BETWEEN VILLAGES THAT ARE USED FOR LONG DISTANCE HUNTING AND GATHERING TO ENSURE THAT THE CONFLICTING CLAIMS ARE RARE. THERE IS AN ACUTE AWARENESS THAT THEY HAVE LEGAL TITLE TO COMMUNAL LANDS. THE AKAIWAIO BELIEVE THE RESOURCES OF THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS SHOULD BE EXPLOITED ONLY BY THEM.

THEY BELIEVE THAT ALL MATERIAL, BODIES, ARE POSSESSED BY SUN'S RADIANT LIGHT WHICH ENDUES THEM BY VITALITY WELL BEING, AND KNOWLEDGE. THERE ARE FIGURES WHO FIGURE IN SHAMANIC SEANCES AND DWELL PRIVATE OWNED STONES. THEY OFFER TOBACCO, FOOD, OR BEVERAGES TO STONES, SO THAT A RESOURCE WILL BE INCREASED.

THEIR SHAMANS TREAT THE AKAIWAIO OF THE UNIVERSE DURING NIGHT SEANCES. THEY HALLUCINATE THROUGH DIETING AND USE TOBACCO. SHAMANS POSSESS THEIR OWN VITAL FORCE TO OWN VITAL FORCE TO AKWA. THEY HEAR GOD AND RECEIVE SONGS, PRAYERS, AND INJECTIONS THAT WILL STRENGTHEN LIFE ON EARTH. THEY SING SONGS AND D ANCE FESTIVALS ASSOCIATED WITH ANIMALS ASSOCIATED WITH ANIMALS, FISH AND FOREST AND FRUITS. THEY SING AND DANCE TO INCREASE GOODNESS, AND WELL BEING FOR ALL OF EARTH. THEIR SHAMAN CURE SICKNESS AND MISFORTUNE. IT IS ALSO A COMMENTARY ON COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. FAMILIES HAVE CEREMONIES SUCH AS GIRLS AND BOYS RITES TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL ECONOMIES.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SONGS CONVEY KNOWLEDGE AND POWER. THEY ARE RYTHMIC WITH POEMS. SOME MEN MAKE BASKETRY. THE CRAFTS ARE DISAPPEARING. IF SICKNESS OCCURS THEY USE PLANT REMEDIES WITH SHAMANIC SEANCES.THEY BELIEVE IN SORCERY WHEN SUDDEN DEATH OCCURS. THEY BELIEVE IN WHEN SUDDEN DEQATH OCCURS. THEY BELIEVE AFTER DEATH SOME REENTER THE COSMOS, AND THEN RESIDES IN HEAVEN IN HAPPINESS.

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