Munduruku

Infobox Ethnic group


group = Mundurucu
population = 10,065
popplace = Brazil
languages = Munduruku
religions =
related = The Munduruku are a tribe of South Americans, one of the most powerful tribes on the Amazon. They had an estimated population in 2002 of 10,065. In 1788, they completely defeated their ancient enemies the Muras. After 1803 they lived at peace with the Brazilians.

One of the most interesting things about the Munduruku is their residence pattern. Rather than a pattern based on conjugal or affinal bonds, in the Munduruku villages, all males over the age of thirteen live in one household, and all of the females live with all of the males under thirteen in another.

They are also notable for their linguistic separation of "us" (their tribe) from "them" (everyone else), the "pariwat". Whereas they refer to themselves as the "Munduruku", or "people", everyone else is spoken of as the equivalent of "huntable animals".

References

External links

* [http://www.socioambiental.org/pib/epienglish/munduruku/munduruku.shtm Detailed information on the Munduruku]
* [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/01/0119_060119_geometry.html Amazon Children "Spontaneously" Understand Geometry] National Geographic News