The Nambikwara People
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The Nambikwara’s way of life The Nambikwara is a Brazilian group of indigenous people who live in the Amazon. Presently, there exist about 1,200 natives of Nambikwara society occupying the indigenous territories of Mato Grosso state in Brazil. Most of Nambikwara people live along the Juruena and Guaporé River. One can easily access their village by using the Pan-American Highway (Kroeker 1). At first, the Nambikwara community was contacted in the year 1770. However, they did experience a delayed contact with the Europeans explorers. It was until the 20th century when Cândido Rondon, a Brazilian army official, passed around the Nambikwara area. The Brazilian army official was extending the telegraph lines when he contacted the Nambikwara community. Cândido Rondon projected the Nambikwara population to be around 10,000. Soon after their contact with the European, Brazilians endemics of Smallpox and Measles cut a swath through the Nambikwara population to about 500. All this took place around 1930 (Kroeker 56).
Introduction
Claude Lévi-Strauss, a French anthropologist, focused on the Nambikwara culture as the subject of his studies. In his book Tristes Tropiques published in 1955, the anthropologist documents both his travel and the anthropological work. The book principally focuses on Brazil, even though it still refers to India and the Caribbean way of life. Despite the fact that the book is more of a travelogue, the author’s work instills both philosophical reflections and concepts connecting many academic disciplines, for instance geology, literature, history and sociology. Part 5 of the book, discusses on the various cultures of native Brazilian groups, for example, Nambikwara, Caduveo also referred to as Guaycuru, Bororo and Tupi-Kawahib (Lévi-Strauss 271). In addition, in this part, the book focuses on various topics including gender and political power. This paper aims
(Professors’ Name)
(Subject)
(Date)
The Nambikwara’s way of life The Nambikwara is a Brazilian group of indigenous people who live in the Amazon. Presently, there exist about 1,200 natives of Nambikwara society occupying the indigenous territories of Mato Grosso state in Brazil. Most of Nambikwara people live along the Juruena and Guaporé River. One can easily access their village by using the Pan-American Highway (Kroeker 1). At first, the Nambikwara community was contacted in the year 1770. However, they did experience a delayed contact with the Europeans explorers. It was until the 20th century when Cândido Rondon, a Brazilian army official, passed around the Nambikwara area. The Brazilian army official was extending the telegraph lines when he contacted the Nambikwara community. Cândido Rondon projected the Nambikwara population to be around 10,000. Soon after their contact with the European, Brazilians endemics of Smallpox and Measles cut a swath through the Nambikwara population to about 500. All this took place around 1930 (Kroeker 56).
Introduction
Claude Lévi-Strauss, a French anthropologist, focused on the Nambikwara culture as the subject of his studies. In his book Tristes Tropiques published in 1955, the anthropologist documents both his travel and the anthropological work. The book principally focuses on Brazil, even though it still refers to India and the Caribbean way of life. Despite the fact that the book is more of a travelogue, the author’s work instills both philosophical reflections and concepts connecting many academic disciplines, for instance geology, literature, history and sociology. Part 5 of the book, discusses on the various cultures of native Brazilian groups, for example, Nambikwara, Caduveo also referred to as Guaycuru, Bororo and Tupi-Kawahib (Lévi-Strauss 271). In addition, in this part, the book focuses on various topics including gender and political power. This paper aims