Monday, April 9, 2012

GUAJURO INDIANS IN COLUMBIA

THE GUARJARO LIVE IN COLUMBIA AND VENEZUELA. THEIR NAME IS SPANISH. THEY HAVE 16,000 SQ KM OF AREAS ON A PENNISULA. THEY HAVE ABOUT 1/2 OF THE POPULATION LIVES ON THE VENEZUELAN SIDE. THE REGION HAS BRUSH SAVANNAH AND DESERT ZONES. NO ONE HAS TAKEN A CENSUS BUT THEY HAVE ABOUT @100,000 FOLKS. THE SPANIARDS REACHED THEIR COAST OF THEIR LAND IN 1500 A.D. THERE WERE SEVERAL GROUPS COEXISTING IN GUAJUROLAND.

THEIR HOUSES WERE SEPARATED BY 10 M. THEY HAD NUCLEAR FAMILIES . THEY BUILT A SMALL HOUSE WHERE HAMMOCKS ARE HUNG AT NIGHT AND A KITCHEN OF OF WALLS AND CACTUSES. THEY ARE MICHIPALA AND HAVE SEVERAL 100 PEOPLE. THEY LIVE SEVERAL KM FROM EACH OTHER. THEY ENTERTAIN THESE VISITORS ON THEIR PORCHES THAT ARE COVERED.

IN THE PAST THE GUAJURO WAS A HUNTING, GATHERING, AND FISHING COMMUNITY AND GREW SOME CROPS. TODAY IT IS A STRONG HIERARCHICAL COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE LIVESTOCK FROM THE SPANISH IN 16TH CENTURY. THEY HAVE CATTLE AND HORSES. THE MISSIONARIES SPREAD THIS TYPE OF LIFE. BLACK SLAVES BY FORCE SETTLED AMONG THE GUAJURO. THEY STILL KEEP CATTLE, SHEEP, AND GOATS AS A SOURCE OF SOURCE OF OF NOURISHMENT. HUNTING, FARMING, AND FISHING HAVE BECOME MARGINAL FOR WAGE LABOR.THEIR LIVESTOCK GO TO MARKET AND ARE A PRESTIGE ITEM. MULES AND HORSES ARE VALUED. THEY HAVE PRACTICALLY DISAPPEARED NOW. THE WEALTHY GUAJURO BUY PICKUPS. IN THE LATE 1980'S 8 OF 10 SHAMANS WERE WOMEN.

THE GUAJURO ARE INCLINED TO RELIGIOUS PRACTICES. CHRISTIAN RELIGION HAS MADE LITTLE IMPACT ON THEM. THEIR CONCEPT OF THE WORLD IS DUALISTIC. SHAMANS STILL CONTINUE TO CORROBORATE, THEY USE TRADITIONAL REPRESENTATIONS AND BELIEFS, BY CURING SICKNESS OR DISEASE OR FORETELLING THE SITE OF A NEW HOUSE. PREVIOUSLY COLLECTIVE HORTICULTURE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A CEREMONY THAT HAS DISAPPEARED. IT IS A GOAT DANCE WITH COURSES OF HORSE MEAT. TODAY A COUPLE OF DANCES TO THE BEAT OF A DRUM. IT IS ORGANIZED TO CELEBRATE AN ECONOMIC SUCCESS, THE VISIT OF AN IMPORTANT PERSON, THE END OF SECLUSION OF SOMEONE AND OTHER EVENTS. IT IS PRESCRIBED BY A SHAMAN AT THE END OF A CURE.

SONGS CAN LAST FOR 8 HOURS AND ARE A TRUE TEST OF ENDURANCE. THEY HAVE TWO TYPES OF ENDURANCE. THEY HAVE TWO TWO TYPES OF SICKNESS. BEYOND A CERTAIN THRESHOLD OF PAIN THE DOMESTIC TREATMENTS BY PLANTS ARE USED. IF THE CONDITION IS NOT HEALED THEN IT'S CAUSE IS BELIEVED TO BE SUPERNATURAL. SHAMANS ARE USED TO HEAL PEOPLE. IF THIS DOESN'T WORK THEY GO TO A DOCTOR.

ACCORDING TO THIS TRIBE , WHEN PEOPLE DIE THEY CROSS THE MILKY WAY AND GO TO A PENISULA OF THE DEAD. THUS THEY ARE LOST. THEN AFTER MANY YEARS THEY COME BACK TO EARTH AS RAIN, ASSURING REJUVENATION OF LIFE AND VEGETATION.

EVERYCULTURE.COM

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