GUAJIRO INDIANS

THE GUAJIRO IS OF SPANISH ORIGIN WHO LIVE IN COLUMBIA AND VENEZUELA. THEY HAVE ABOUT 16,000 SQ. KM IN A BRUSH SAVANNAH WITH DESERT ZONES. THE RAIN COMES IN THE WINTER. THEY HAVE A DRY SEASON THERE DRY SEASON IS ALL SUMMER. THEY SPEAK ARAWAK LANGUAGE. THEIR POPULATION IS ABOUT 100,000. THE SPANISH REACHED THE COAST OF GUAYIROLAND IN
1499. THERE WERE ABOUT 7 SUBGROUPS. THEY SLEEP IN HAMMOCKS.

IN THEIR TRADITIONAL TERRITORY A NUCLEAR FAMILY SHARES THE SAME HOUSE. THEY BUILD LARGE COMMUNAL HOUSES FOR CEREMONIES AND MEETINGS CALLED MIICHIPALA. THEY HAVE GARDENS, SHEEP AND GOATS PENS. THEIR SOCIETY WAS EGALITARIAN. BASED ON AGRICULTURE, GATHERING, HUNTING, AND FISHING. TODAY IT IS STRONGLY PASTORAL. IN THE 1500'S THE FIRST LIVESTOCK ARRIVED. THE GUAJIRO BECAME WIDESPREAD AND THEY WERE FOSTERED BY MISSIONARIES. THERE WERE BLACK SLAVES WHO SETTLED AMONG THE GUAJIRO. ALL OF THE SIERRA KUSINA HAS CATTLE, SHEEP, AND GOATS FOR THEIR MAIN LIVELIHOOD. HORTICULTURE, HUNTING, AND FISHING WERE LESS IMPORTANT FOR WAGE LABOR FOR MESTIZO FAMILIES IN CITIES. PREVIOUSLY HORSES AND MULES WERE THE MOST VALUED.

WOMEN WEAVE HAMMOCKS OF COTTON, WITH RICH MOTIFS AND BEETS. THEY CHROCHET SMALL BAGS THAT THEY SELL AT LOCAL MARKETS.. MEN MAKE SANDALS AND SELL WOOLEN RUGS USING A BLANKET TECHNIQUE.

FOR CENTURIES THE GUARJIRO HAVE SOLD BRAZILWOOD TO MAKE DYES AND SKINS. MANY OF THEIR SHAMANS WERE WOMEN. MOST COUPLES LIVE WITH THE WIFE'S FAMILY AND IT CAN CHANGE. RICH MEN CAN BE POLYGYNOUS.

THE GUAJIRO ARE NOTR INTERESTED IN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES. THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN IN CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS. THEY BELIEVE IN A CULTURE HERO WHO WAS EATEN BY A JAGUAR. MALEIWA, THEIR CULTURE HERO REJECTED JAGUAR IN THE WILDERNESS. HE CREATED HUMANS AND IS TODAY OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE. THEY BELIEVE IN SEVERAL SUPERNATURAL BEINGS. THEY ALSO BELIEVE IN GHOSTS OF THE DEAD WHO CAN CAUSE ILLNESS.

THIER GOAT DANCE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A CEREMONY. THEIR GARDEN WORK HAD A CEREMONY AS WELL. SHAMANS USE TRADITIONAL BELIEFS BY CURING SICKNESS OR FORETELLING THE FUTURE. TODAY THE YANNA DANCE IS A COLLECTIVE DEMONSTRATION. IT MAY CELEBRTAE SUCCESS, THE TREND , THE END OF A PERIOD OF SECLUSION. AT THE END OF A PERIOD OF SECLUSION. ATTHE END OF A CURE THEY DANCE. FUNERALS ARE THEIR MOST IMPORTANT CEREMONIES.

THEY SING SONGS FOR HOURS. THE GUAJIRO HAVE TWO TYPES OF SICKNESS. IF THE DOMESTIC TREATMENT BY PLANTS AND FIRE BRANDS ARE INEFFECTIVE. THEN IT IS CAUSED BY SUPERNATURAL MEANS. TRADITIONALLY ONLY SHAMANS COULD ASSURE A CURE. TODAY MANY INDIANS FOLLOW DOCTORS AT HEALTH CENTERS OR GO TO HEALERS.ACCORDING TO TO THE GUAJIRO HUMAN SOULS CROSS THE PATH OF THE DEAD. THEN THEY ARE LOST. IN A LONG TIME THEY COME BACK TO EARTH AS TO ASSURE VEGETATION IN LIFE.

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