AYOREO INDIANS IN PARAGUAY

AYOREO INDIANS CALL THEMSELVES THE AYOREODE, OR BEINGS OF HUMAN APPEARANCE. NON AYOREO ARE CALLED MENEOGONE. NONAYOREO ARE CALLED MENENEGONE. A DIFFERENT DENOMINATION IS GIVEN NEO AMARICES WHO DO THINGS THAT MAKE NO SENSE.

THEY ARE LOCATED IN PARAGUAY AND BOLIVIA. AYOREO LAND HAS FEW NATURAL ROUTES, SPRINGS, OR RIVERS. OF MOST IMPORTANCE FOR THE LIFE IS THE SWAMPLAND OF IZOZOG. THESE HYDRIC DEPOSITS DETERMINE WHERE THEIR PERMANENT CAMPS ARE. THEY LIVE IN THE DESERT BY USING WATER FROM A TUBER CALLED CIPOI. THEY HAVE A DRY RAINY SEASON AND THEY HAVE VARIOUS WINDS. THEY SPEAK ZANUCO. 2500 AYORU LIVE IN 333,000 SQ. KM. THEY DO NOT SUFFER FROM HUNGER OR WANT.

THESE FOLKS ARE HARD WORKING . THEIR PERIODS ARE DIVIDED BY ASTRONOMICAL ORDER. EAPI IS FOREST OR FORBIDDEN WORD. AND EAPI -WOMI IS FREE WORLD. THEY CHANGE BETWEEN PERIODS. FESTIVALS ARE MARKED BY A CALL TO A BIRD. THEIR HARVEST BEGINS IN SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER. THEN THEY SOW SEEDS UP TO APRIL. THEY HAVE RAINS IN JULY TO AUGUST.

DURING THE MONTHS WHEN THEY LIVE LIKE NOMADS THE LIVE MAINLY FROM GATHERING., HUNTING, AND AGRICULTURAL RESERVES LEFT OVER FROM PREVIOUS HARVESTS. AFTER THEIR FESTIVAL THEY BUILD A SEMIPERMANENT VILLAGE UNTIL APRIL. THEY FOLLOW AN ANNUAL LIFE CYCLE. GATHERING WILD FOODS IS EVEN GREATER THAN PLANTING. ABOUT 30 PLANT SPECIES ARE EATEN. THEY EAT ROOTS AND TUBERS AND SEEDS. FROM PALMS HEY EXTRACT FRUITS. THEY HUNT TAPIR, JAGUARS, MONKEYS, OCELOTS, AND OTTERS FOR HIDES.

THEY USE A DIGGING STICK FOR THEIR AGRICULTURAL AND PLANT MAIZE, BEANS, GOURDS AND SQUASH , POTATOES AND TOBACCO. THEY ARE HARVESTED ONCE A YEAR. FISHING IS PRACTICED OCCASSIONALLY. THEY CATCH 10 SPECIES OF FISH WITH THEIR HANDS OR A BASKET.
THEY MADE A VARIETY OF WEAPONS, SWORDS, AND CLUBS. THEY ALSO MAKE WOODEN SPATULAS.. CERAMIC POTS, CALABASH RECEPTICALS, AXES, OF IRON AND GRATORS FROM RODENTS TEETH, MORTARS MADE OF HARDWARE, AND CARRYING BAGS OF CARAGUATA FIBRE AND CORDAGE. THEY COLLECT HONEY AND HAVE VARIOUS BAGS. THEY HAVE MADE PIPES AND IMPORTED SCISSORS,NOW TO CUT HAIR. THEY WEAR LITTLE CLOTHING.

MEN USSUALLY DO THE AGRICULTUREWORK, HUNT, AND FISH. THOSE TASKS INVOLVE WOOD, STONE, AND IRON. THEY MAKE PIPES, AND CLEAR THE TRERES FOR GARDENS.

THE WOMEN HUNT TURTLES AND ARMADILLOS. THE WOMEN HOWEVER ALSO CORD, PLAIT, SEW. DO FOOD PREP, AND MAKE POTTERY. MEN PREPARE THEIR FOOD IF THEY ARE ALONE IN THE FOREST. THE WOMEN GATHER PLANTS WHICH IS STRENUOUS WORK THERE. MEN ALSO COLLECT WILD ROOTS. LAND OWNERSHIP IS OF PARTICULARLY GOOD AND IS DETERMINED IN THE FIRST PLACE AND IS DETERMINED BY THE WORK SOMEONE HAS DONE.

THEIR MARRIAGE TAKES PLACE AFTER ADOLESCENCE AND THIS IS NOT A SPECIAL CEREMONY. THE LIFE CYCLE IMPLIES SEVERAL AND ARE STREGTHENED BY SONGS. THEIR LIFE IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE AGAINST DIVERSITY AND ILLNESS. OLDER PEOPLE OFTEN COMMIT SUICIDE.

EVERY NATURAL AND CULTURAL PHENOMENON IS EXPLAINED BY A SPECIAL MYTH. THEIR TALES CONSIST OF THEIR TRANSFORMATION OF AN ANCESTOR OF HUMAN OR HUMANOID IS IN AN ACTUAL LIVING BEING THROUGH THE INTERVENTION OF DUPADE THE SUN. ORIGIN MYTHS ARE FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL THERAPEUTIC SONGS. THE COMPLEX OF MYTHS AND SONGS IS GIVEN THE NAME KUCADE OF TRACING THE RETURN OF ALL THINGS. THE AYOREO MYTHS ARE IN 6 GROUPS. THEIR MYTHS EXPLAIN THE WORLD AS VARIOUS TIERS OR LEVELS.

IN THEIR WORLD POWER IS OMNI-PRESENT AND IS NEGATIVE CHARACTER. IN AYOREO'S WORLD THE MOST POWERFUL AND MALEFICIENT POWER. THEY ARE DANGEROUS AND ARE MORE POWERFUL. AN ANCESTRAL LIVING BIRD IS THE CORE OF AYOREO'S WORLD. THEY FEAR IT AND IT IS CHARGED WITH NEGATIVITY. ASOHANA IS THEIR DIVINITY WITH AN ORGANIZED CULTURE. ASOHONA HAS POWER TO DO HARM AND IS TRANFERRED TO THE COSMIC PLANE. IN THIS WORLD OF FEAR AND DEATH THEY HAD CURSES.

THE SHAMAN AND THE WISE MAN KNOWS MYTHS AND THERAPEUTIC SONGS AND ARE RELIGIOUS PRACTIONERS. tHEY HAVE A RITUAL TO ENGAGE IN RAIN. A CEREMONY IS HELD BY THE AYORE AS A FESTIVAL OF ASOHSNA, AN ANNUAL CYCLE.

THEIR DAIHSNAI ARE THEIR CHANTAS WHO USE THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES TO HEAL. THE SHAMAN FUNCTIONS AS AN INTERMEDIARY VEHICLE. THEYY BELIEVE A PERSON HAS SKIN, REASON AND A SOUL. THEY BELIEVE THAT AFTER DEATH PEOPLE LIVE IN AN UNDERWORLD.

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