LENGUA INDIANS IN PARAGUAY

THE LENGUA LIVE 1000 MILES TO THE SOUTH OF AMAZON RIVER NEAR GRAN CHACO. THESE INDIANS LY 1000 MILES SOUTH OF THE AMAZON RIVER. THE GRAND CHACO WHICH MEANS "HUNTING GROUND". IT IS A VAST HUNTING PLAIN IN THE CENTER OF SOUTH AMERICA. DESPITE THIS HARSH CLIMATE THE LINGUA CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE. TATTOOING HAS BEEN REPLACED BY LESS PAINFUL METHODS. THEY PAINT THEIR BODY AS WELL. IT HAD MAGICAL IMPLICATIONS. IN THE PAST AND ALL INDIGENOUS GROUPS PRACTICED IT . WOMEN HAD MORE OF THEM. GIRLS WERE TATTOED ON THEIR FOREHEAD AT 5 YEARS OLD. THEN AS TIME WENT BY THEY RECEIVED ADDITIONAL CIRCLES, CROSSES,HALF MOONS,AND LINES. THEIR ARTISTS WERE OLD WOMEN. THEY TRACED THE DESIGN WITH CHARCOAL. THEY PUNCTURED THE SKIN WITH A BUNDLE OF CACTUS OR A SINGLE BONE AWL. THEN BLOOD RAN DOWN THE FACE. IN 1760 A JESUIT MISSIONARY PROVIDED A RARE ACCOUNT OF A NEW EXTINCT RITUAL. IN THE PAST DURING THE GIRLS DAYS OF TATTOOING SHE COULD NOT EAT MEAT, FISH OR OTHER FOOD. THEY ATE ONLY COOLING FRUIT THAT COOLS THE BLOOD. APPARENTELY TATTOOING HAD A RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE. ASH OR CHARCOAL WAS A MEANS OF PURIFICATION.

WHEN A LENGUA VILLAGE WAS THREATENED WITH AN EPEDEMIC., CHACO PEOPLE PERFORMED CEREMONIES AIMED AT CURBING SUPERNATURAL ENTITIES. THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE. THEIR CEREMONIES WERE AN INVOLVEMENT OF DANCE DRUMMING, CHANTS, AND BODY PAINT THAT REPELLS SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS. MENSTRUAL BLOOD WAS CONSIDERED A MALEVOLENT SPIRIT. IT WAS BELIEVED THAT IT WAS AWAKENED HER SEXUAL DESIRE AND IT WAS PARTICULARLY ENTICING TO EVIL SPIRITS. THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF HER SERIES OF LIFE STAGES, FOR EXAMPLE CHILDBIRTH, MENSES,ETC. TATTOOING WAS DONE TO PURIFY HER EVIL DURING FUTURE YEARS.

DURING INITIATIONS THE CEREMONIALFASTING COOLED THEIR BLOOD. ALL OF THE TRIBE HAD FOOD RESTRICTIONS. THE MEAT OF A PREDATORY ANIMAL WAS A RESTRICTION. FOR THE CHACOAN PEOPLE SHARED THIS CONDITION.

MANY WOMEN HAD THE SAME SYMBOLS BUT PAINTED IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THEIR BODY.THE ARTISTS SALIVA WAS A PURIFACTORY SUBSTANCE TO REPEL EVIL SPIRITS. CARBON BASED SUBSTANCES WERE USED AS TATTOO PIGMENT. THE TATTOE HAD AN OVERALL MAGICAL POWER. IN THE END IT MEANS THAT THERE IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE.

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