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Munduruku [archive]

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Munduruku

Location: The Munduruku Indians currently reside in the state of Para located in the Amazon Basin of Brazil. The 17 villages are located near rivers such as the Tapajos River and most are all fairly close to trading posts.

History: The Munduruku, also known as the Mundurucu, have always had a history of living off and adapting to the land. When Brazil was 'discovered,' the Indians were pushed further and further into the Amazon interior to avoid the conquerors who were interested in using Indian labor as slave labor. Having moved deeper into the Amazon interior, this group was able to maintain "their languages, most of their customs, and a considerable degree of autonomy, and they have survived as distinct social and cultural entities until the present day" (Murphy 29).

The Munduruku also have a history of being militaristic. When warring with other tribes they would take the head of the enemy and mount it on a stick. There is a false notion of indigenous peoples being lazy that originated from trying to unsuccessfully make them slaves. They were not used to taking orders but rather working for the benefit of the entire village. Until recently in a few villages, Munduruku wealth has not been about material wealth but about generosity. The more generous one is the more wealthy he or she is.

Daily Life: There is extreme heat during the middle of the day. Therefore, all chores are usually done in the morning or evening while it is cooler and naps are taken during the hottest part of the day. Chores are divided by sex, men are more apt to do the hunting and building while the women clean, make and gather the food and care for the children. The Munduruku wash in a nearby stream and that is also where they obtain water and wash clothing.

In the village there are no strangers, everyone knows everyone else quite well and everyone aids in chores as needed. The staple of the Munduruku diet is manioc flour, which is made weekly. Manioc flour is made from tubers that have soaked for days in the water and then heated and ground into flour. Whenever there is something to celebrate such as a good hunt, the Munduruku will dance and make music with flutes or just by clapping and stomping in a rhythm.

Best Known Feature: The correlation between this indigenous group and the rubber industry is most widely known. Initially, the villagers were against outsiders coming in to ruin their environment. Later many began to make a profit through tapping rubber trees. Many younger Munduruku left their villages and customs for the big cities and the wealth that came with it and have become integrated into Brazilian mainstream society.

Sources

Murphy, Yolanda and Robert F. Murphy. Women of the Forest 2nd edition. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985.

Munduruku, Daniel. Tales of the Amazon, How the Munduruku Live. Sao Paulo: Companhia das Letrinhas, 2000.

"Instituto Socioambiental." Socioambiental http://www.socioambiental.org/website/pib/english/whwhhow/table.htm

Additional Reading

Munduruku
Brazil Languages
Amazonian Peoples

Munduruku [archive]

Munduruku

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