Yawalapiti

The Yawalapiti are an indigenous tribe in the Amazonian Basin of Brazil. The name is also spelled Yawalapiti, and Iaualapiti in Portuguese. The current village yawalapiti is situated more to the south, between the Tuatuari and Kuluene River. The Yawalapiti language belongs to the Arawakan family. [ [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=yaw Ethnologue: Yawalapiti] ]

The Yawalapiti live in the Upper Xingu region along with Kiabi, Yudja and Suya tribes. The ways of life of these four tribes are quite similar despite having different languages. Their villages are situated around Lake Ipavu, which is six kilometres from the Kuluene River.

Population

In 1948, immediately before the regrouping of the Yawalapiti, there were 28 individuals; in 1954, during the measles epidemic that devastated the region, they were 25; in 1963 they added 41 individuals; and in 1970 had arrived the 65. Since then, there has been a gradual population increase and spontaneous growth of the group - stimulated by the health services in the Park and the reduction of the conflicts between the Yawalapiti and their Upper Xingu neighbors - this pacification” was promoted by the Villas Bôas brothers. Orlando and Cláudio Villas Bôas had stimulated intermarriages with other tribal peoples, mainly with the Kamayurá, Kuikuro and Mehinako.

Description of villages

Typical to other Upper Xingu tribes, the yawalapiti village is circular in shape, and has communal houses surrounding a clean square of weeds. In the center of the Square a house is frequented only for the men and is where the sacred flutes are played. It is in this house, or banks ahead of it, that the men congregate to talk to the twilight, and where they paint themselves for the ceremonies. The house of the flutes is of similar construction to the residences, having, however, only one or two doors, directed toward the center, always lesser that the doors of the houses. The flutes are hung in the beam master and during the day they must be touched in its interior; and at night (when the women already had collected themselves) the men can touch them in the patio.

History

The first historical contact between the Yawalapiti and Europeans occurred in 1887, when they had been visited by Karl von den Steinen's expedition. In this period, they were located in the high course of the Tuatuari river, in a region between lagoons and quagmires identified by the Yawalapiti as a small farm in many of its villages. The German anthropologist's impression of these Indians was that of poverty, who had insufficient food to offer the visitors.

Social organisation

Trade

Hunting and gathering

Reference

External links

* [http://www.isa.org.br/pib/epienglish/yawalapiti/yawalapiti.shtm]