WAIWAI INDIANS IN GUYANA

WAIWAI MEANS TAPIOCA. THEY MAKE AND EAT MUCH TAPIOCA. THEY INTERMARRY WITH OTHER GROUPS. THEY LIVE ALONG A RIVER. MISSIONARIERIES MET THEM IN THE 1950'S. THEY ASSIMILATED MANY SMALL TRIBES WHO WERE IN THEIR VILLAGES.

THEY LIVE IN REMOTE VILLAGES IN THE TROPICAL FORESTS OF GUYANA. THEY EXPANDED TRADE AND MARRIAGE CONTACTS. WHEN THE MISSIONARIES SETTLED HERE IN 1949 THE WAIWAI SETTLED HERE NEAR THE MISSION. IN THE 1970'S MOST MEMBERS RETURNED TO BRAZIL. IN 1989 THERE WAS ONE VILLAGE IN THE GUYANA AND THREE IN BRAZIL. THEY HAD A POPULATION OF ABOUT 1200 IN THE 50'S AND BY 1989 ABOUT 1200 FOLKS BECAUSE THEY INCLUDED SMALLER TRIBES. THEY SPEAK CARIB.

BY 1837 THEY HAD EXCHANGED BETWEEN TRIBES. THEY HEARD THE RUMOR THAT IF THEY DID NOT CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY THEY WOULD BE DESTROYED BY A WORLDWIDE FIRE. IN THE 1970'S THE NEW INDEPENDENT GUYANESE GOVERNMENT WAS HOSTILE IN THE 1970'S THE NEW INDEPENDENT GUYANESE GOVERNMENT WAS HOSTILE TO U S MISSIONARIES. MOST MOVED BACK TO FORMER SITS IN BRAZIL. THEIR VILLAGES HAD 15 TO 50 PEOPLE AND WERE IN A SINGLE HOUSE CALLED A MUMO. SETTLEMENTS WERE DISPERSED OVER A LARGE AREA EVERY 5 TO 7 YEARS WHEN THE HOUSE BECAME OLD OR THE RESOURCES WERE EXHAUSTED. THEIR MULTIFAMILY SETTLEMENTS WERE REPLACED WITH NUCLEAR FAMILY HOUSES. THEY TRAVELED FURTHER TO NEW GARDENS OR HUNTING GROUNDS. THEIR VILLAGES ARE OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

IN OLD TIMES THEIR SUBSISTENCE WAS BASED ON HUNTING, FISHING, GATHERING AND HORTICULTURE. THEIR CYCLE ALTERNATES BETWEEN DRY DRY AND RAINY SEASONS. SOMETIMES THEY HAD PLENTY OF FOOD AND OTHER TIMES THEY SCARCITY.. THEY ALSO GROW SMALLL GARDENS AND USE THEM FOR ONLY THREE YEARS. THE MAIN CROP IS MANIOC, A POISONOUS TUBER THAT IS PROCESSED TO MAKE BEAD , FARINA, AND TAPIOCA. THEY GROW MANY FRUITS AND OTHER TUBERS AND COTTON. THE FOREST PROVIDES PALM FRUITS AND NUTS AND OTHER MATERIALS. THEY HUNT WITH BOWS AND AND ARROWS MANY SMALL TO MEDIUM ANIMALS AND FISH. CANOES ARE SOLD TO COLONISTS.

THEY STILL MAKE MOST OF THEIR TOOLS. FOR TWO CENTURIES THE WAIWAI HAVE TAKEN PART IN A VAST INTERTRIBAL NETWORK THAT STRETCHES FROM GUYANA TO NORTHERN BRAZIL. THE WAIWAI TRAIN HUNTING DOGS AND PARROTS AND TRADE THEM FOR FLASHLIGHTS, MOSQUITO NETS AND FISHHOOKS. MEN PROVIDE MEAT AND WAND WEAVE BASKETS. WOMEN DO MOST COOKING, GARDENING, AND RAISE CHILDREN AND PREPARE FOOD. THE VILLAGE BELONGS TO THE CHIEF. GARDENS BELONG TO PEOPLE WHO HELP WITH THEM.

THEY BELIEVE THE UNIVERSE IS SAID TO HAVE 5 TIERS - AN UNDER WORLD, THE EARTH, AND THREE HEAVENS. THEY HAVE MANY MYTHS PRACTICES THAT RECOUNT THE ORIGINAL PRACTICES AND NATURAL PRACTICES. THEY HAVE SOME GOOD AND EVIL SPIRITA. THE MISSIONARIES PUT SHAME ON THEM.

THEIR SHAMANS HELPED AS TEACHERS TO SUMMON GAME AND USE CURING RITUALS TO HEAL. SOME PEOPLE DISREGARD THE CHRISTIANITY OF BELIEFS. TRANSITIONS WERE MAKED BY SECLUSION AND RITUALS. THEY HAVE SHODEWIKA OR INTER VILLAGE DANCES. THEY COMBINE DANCING AND FEASTING WITH CHRISTIAN FEATURES.

THEY MAKE BASKETS, BEADWORK, FEATHERWORK, AND BODY ORNAMENTATION. BEFORE THE MISSIONS THE SHAMANS CURED ILLNESS THROUGH CONTACT WITH SPIRITS BY USING TOBACCO SMOKE, AND SPIRIT STONES. THEY DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENSIVE PLANT LORE. THEY USE WESTERN MEDICINES WHEN INTRODUCED BY MISSIONARIES. THEY HAVE TRAINED HEALTH ATTENDANTS.
DEATH IS EXPLAINED AS SOUL LOSS CAUSED BY SPIRITS. THEIR PETS, POSSESSIONS AND HOUSE ARE DESTROYED BY THEIR RELATIVES. AT DEATH A PERSON TAKES ON SOME ANIMAL FORMS THAT CAN BECOME MENACING SPIRITS.

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