Indigenous People of the Amazon Rainforest: Yanomami Enchanting

Author: (American) Tani, translated by Shi Yuefeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The Yanoama's enchanting shamanic belief in the animism of all things also reflects their worldview of "all living beings are part of one whole" and "there is no essential difference between humans and animals." The Yanoama use cosmetics derived from nature, creating a connection and communication between humans and all natural elements, while also conveying their aesthetic and social order. After someone dies, the Yanoama hold elaborate funeral ceremonies to guide the deceased's spirit to heaven and restructure the tribe's social composition. The Guiana region near the border of Brazil and Venezuela, covered in dense tropical rainforest, is where the Yanoama Indians live. It is one of the most unknown places in the world. In this remote forest, the Yanoama live almost isolated from the outside world, possibly descendants of one of the migratory groups from South America 20,000 years ago. The author immerses himself, completely engaging in the daily life of the community, obtaining a clear picture of one of the world's most obscure ethnic groups and learning about their unique lifestyle that has remained largely unchanged for thousands of years: the Yanoama live together, rely on the forest for their livelihood, adorn themselves with natural cosmetics, and hold feasts from time to time to share food with others. What makes it particularly distinctive is the Yanoama's shamanic rituals of "animism" and their funeral ceremonies.