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| ClayCatShop's Yanomami Mom Copyright © 2011 ClayCatShop |
When the Smooshers challenged me to create a tribal piece last month, I decided to look for inspiration in my dear Venezuela. Memories of the Yanomamis started floating in my mind, I was lucky enough to be able to visit the Amazons many times while my family lived there, in the Bauxiven Camp (They lived there 3 years, and I got to visit often! :) lucky girl).
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| My sister next to a Yanomami house :) |
The Yanomami tribe is one of the last primitive living Indians on our planet. The population is about 20.000 people. 12.000 in Venezuela and ca. 8.000 Indians in Brazil. The Yanomami are believed to be the most primitive, culturally intact people in existence in the world. Their numbering system is one, two, and more than two. They cremate their dead, then crush and drink their bones in a final ceremony intended to keep their loved ones with them forever. They are hunters and gatherers who also tend small garden plots. They are one of the most successful groups in the Amazon rain forest to gain a superior balance and harmony with their environment.
Text from © Instituto Socioambiental. You can find their web site here: http://www.socioambiental.org/e/
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| Visiting the Yanomami |
The Yanomami indians in Venezuela are great people, always happy to see you. There was a Yanomami who would come to my parents house in the camp every week asking for Malta (a non-alcoholic carbonated drink made from Malta) he would talk funny Spanish but he made his wishes known, and when my father's contract was up and they were moving back to Margarita Island, the Yanomami "Neron" as he was called, asked my father if he could leave my sister there! Imagine my father's face! LOL it was a family joke for a long time. :)
More about the Yanomami tribes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ya%CC%A7nomam%C3%B6
Sadly while looking for information online I came across this site:
Learn about The Yanomami tribe in Brazil
The Yanomami Indians, specially in Brazil are in danger. Follow the link and learn more.
Listen to Caballo Viejo (Beautiful Venezuelan music) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r8HEiNO0Bk&feature=player_embedded
Love the art and the story - Glad your dad did not leave your sister there!! Malta is my favorite drink ever so I know why he kept coming back. Sometimes I am lucky to find Malta Polar here, but Goya is not that bad!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :) lol, yes my sister is happy too! lol
ReplyDeleteSaludos y Feliz fin de semana! :)