The Exemplary Traditions of the Kayapos
The Kayapo are a native group that live in the rain forest around the Amazon River in Brazil. The Kayapos had many attacks from many tribes. They fought with settlers that didn't have land, people that cut trees (lumberjacks) and then later on the Brazilian government. The Brazilian government has recently signed the permit to build the Belo Monte Dam. They Kayapos don't want this dam to be built at all because they say “it will hurt the environment” and also it is where they live and get their basic essentials of life. Also, they already had so many threats and so many sections of the jungle cleared out. Now, when these kinds of attacks happen in the rain forest it destroys the balance between humans, plants and animals. The Kayapos are very important to their community because their traditions are very inspiring. The Brazilian government should not interfere with them because they are very eco-friendly and live a comfortable life with the minimal amount of resources needed.
Their were around five millions natives groups long time ago. But now, there are a few thousand Kayapos. Kayapos live around the Xingu River, in the eastern part of the Amazon rain forest where there are many villages. Kayapos believe that when a person is about to die, they go to a ‘village of the dead’. Over in the village, the people sleep during the day and hunt at night. They believe this makes old people become younger, and young children become older. The women are only allowed to visit for a little time just to deliver food to the men that are related to them.
Kayapos have a certain cultural tradition for every activity. Kayapos greet their guest by preparing food made by the women, and bamboo beds are laid out for them as well. Sometimes, Kayapos even paint their body, mostly with black or red paint. They also wear beautiful shell earrings or the wear bright feathers that are decorated on their heads. They live in thatched (some kind of material like straw or leaves to cover the roof) roof huts. They have one large room where everyone sleeps. They don't have mattresses; their beds are hammocks. Hammocks are better in the jungle environment. They have a ‘medicine man’ and they are supposed to find medicine and help a Kayapo if they need health care. Kayapo’s medicines are roots and herbs. Their transportation is canoes with which they travel along the Amazon River. Kayapos can travel for days or weeks. Young Kayapo men wear western style shorts, this is because they are always in contact with western Brazilians. Older men usually just cover the lower part of their bodies. The chief wears feathers as a headdress. The feathers are mostly bright golden-yellow. Girls and boys wear bright coloured clothes that are tied around below the waist or crisscrossed across the chest. Along with this outfit, they also wear beaded necklaces and wrist-bands. Most Kayapos go barefoot. But sometimes, the Kayapo chief would wear westerns style sandals.
The Kayapos main source of food is fish. They also have wild fruits and nuts. Animals that are hunted are monkeys and turtles. They make their own hunting weapons like spears, clubs, blowguns, arrows and darts. Kayapos are amazing at hunting, they use darts that are dipped in a poison called ‘curare’, which paralyzes the animal. Most adult Kayapos teach their children the skills that are necessary to live in a rain forest. They are taught hunting, fishing and making weapons (for boys). Girls are required to know cooking, growing vegetables, beading and body paint preparations. Many people that visit the Xingu River area have offered to educate the young Kayapos by teaching them how to read and write. However, most of the Kayapos do not accept the offer because they are afraid that their kids would forget their traditional skills.
Kayapos are incredible natives that are so committed to their traditions. It’s fascinating that even in this kind of day and age where there’s so many technological gadgets, the Kayapos still don't change their lifestyle in the rain forest. They can live in the city where they can take advantage of the facilities such as schools, hospitals, malls, grocery stores but they chose not to. It is also extremely impressive that they can survive without an essential tool that everyone believes they need these days; Internet and Wi-Fi. The Kayapos have learned to live independently unlike the people who live in the cities. They complete their own tasks using their skills and materials, which is very inspiring. That’s why the Brazilian government shouldn't make the dam and let the Kayapos live the way they are comfortable with. They have lived like this their whole life and just like how the Brazalian government wouldn’t want to change their lifestyle, they shouldn’t force another group of people to live differently either.
Their were around five millions natives groups long time ago. But now, there are a few thousand Kayapos. Kayapos live around the Xingu River, in the eastern part of the Amazon rain forest where there are many villages. Kayapos believe that when a person is about to die, they go to a ‘village of the dead’. Over in the village, the people sleep during the day and hunt at night. They believe this makes old people become younger, and young children become older. The women are only allowed to visit for a little time just to deliver food to the men that are related to them.
Kayapos have a certain cultural tradition for every activity. Kayapos greet their guest by preparing food made by the women, and bamboo beds are laid out for them as well. Sometimes, Kayapos even paint their body, mostly with black or red paint. They also wear beautiful shell earrings or the wear bright feathers that are decorated on their heads. They live in thatched (some kind of material like straw or leaves to cover the roof) roof huts. They have one large room where everyone sleeps. They don't have mattresses; their beds are hammocks. Hammocks are better in the jungle environment. They have a ‘medicine man’ and they are supposed to find medicine and help a Kayapo if they need health care. Kayapo’s medicines are roots and herbs. Their transportation is canoes with which they travel along the Amazon River. Kayapos can travel for days or weeks. Young Kayapo men wear western style shorts, this is because they are always in contact with western Brazilians. Older men usually just cover the lower part of their bodies. The chief wears feathers as a headdress. The feathers are mostly bright golden-yellow. Girls and boys wear bright coloured clothes that are tied around below the waist or crisscrossed across the chest. Along with this outfit, they also wear beaded necklaces and wrist-bands. Most Kayapos go barefoot. But sometimes, the Kayapo chief would wear westerns style sandals.
The Kayapos main source of food is fish. They also have wild fruits and nuts. Animals that are hunted are monkeys and turtles. They make their own hunting weapons like spears, clubs, blowguns, arrows and darts. Kayapos are amazing at hunting, they use darts that are dipped in a poison called ‘curare’, which paralyzes the animal. Most adult Kayapos teach their children the skills that are necessary to live in a rain forest. They are taught hunting, fishing and making weapons (for boys). Girls are required to know cooking, growing vegetables, beading and body paint preparations. Many people that visit the Xingu River area have offered to educate the young Kayapos by teaching them how to read and write. However, most of the Kayapos do not accept the offer because they are afraid that their kids would forget their traditional skills.
Kayapos are incredible natives that are so committed to their traditions. It’s fascinating that even in this kind of day and age where there’s so many technological gadgets, the Kayapos still don't change their lifestyle in the rain forest. They can live in the city where they can take advantage of the facilities such as schools, hospitals, malls, grocery stores but they chose not to. It is also extremely impressive that they can survive without an essential tool that everyone believes they need these days; Internet and Wi-Fi. The Kayapos have learned to live independently unlike the people who live in the cities. They complete their own tasks using their skills and materials, which is very inspiring. That’s why the Brazilian government shouldn't make the dam and let the Kayapos live the way they are comfortable with. They have lived like this their whole life and just like how the Brazalian government wouldn’t want to change their lifestyle, they shouldn’t force another group of people to live differently either.