In the age of asphalt, concrete and computer technologywe do not think much about the fact that there are entire civilizations developing parallel to ours. They have no idea about such phenomena as the economic crisis, but are familiar with the consequences of floods or drought. They do not know how to use calendars, but at the same time they know about the stars and phases of the moon.
Wild tribes of the Amazon, namely, they are comingspeech, gradually disappear under the pressure of civilization, but by some miracle they managed to preserve an original culture. And the most surprising is that many small Indian groups have absolutely unique traditions, unlike those that their nearest neighbors have.
To date, in the Amazon delta officiallyregistered the presence of several dozen small wild tribes that live in isolation from each other in the most remote corners of the jungle.
The scientists began to study the life of the Amazon tribesso long ago, but it is now clear that the number of such groups is rapidly declining. For example, the Cintha Larga tribe 100 years ago numbered more than 5,000 members, but even today their number barely reaches 1,500.
Another group of Amazon Indians is known inthe whole world as bora-bora. The history of this tribe is also rooted in the depths of centuries. Despite constant interaction with the civilized world in the face of tourists and scientists, its members continue to observe their traditions and customs in exactness.
It should be noted that almost all the tribes onthe Amazon River, including bora-bora, gladly host "white" guests. However, few of the aborigines are enticed by life in the cities, preferring dense thickets of the jungle and endless freedom from the prejudices that are characteristic of the modern man.
The wild tribes of the Amazon and Africa are very similar inway of life in that their daily activities are based on the satisfaction of basic human needs: nutrition and procreation. The main occupation of women in them is collecting, making garments, household utensils and caring for the younger generation. Men are mainly engaged in hunting, fishing, making simple tools and weapons.
The wild tribes of the Amazon, despite theirisolation from each other, have much in common. For example, many people use onions bows and wind guns with poisoned arrows. In this case, one tribe uses only one type of weapons. In addition, many groups of Aboriginal people who have never met each other produce similar pottery, beads, and clothing. Leisure in the tribes of the Amazon never passes aimlessly. Even ordinary dances carry a special ritual meaning.
Since the moment when scientists have established contact withby some tribes on the banks of the Amazon, attempts were made to understand the essence of their faith and to find something in common between the beliefs of tribes. Then it was found out that in monotheism the wild tribes of the Amazon begin to believe with great difficulty, and they often perceive information about Jesus, for example, as a beautiful fairy tale. They are more understanding of the world of spirits, good or evil - it does not matter. Literally every creature and plant in them is identified with some deity that influences their existence.
Each tribe has its own unique customs:one with the onset of a new period in their lives (puberty, the creation of a family, the birth of a child, etc.) change their names, others do not even take up everyday work without the "blessing" of the tribal shaman, while others ate their own kind. Of course, such a phenomenon as cannibalism, is very rare today, as many wild tribes of the Amazon refused it. To date, there is only one tribe of cannibals, which still raids the small villages of Aboriginal people - Korubo.
Beauty in the notion of Amazonian Indians isnot at all what most civilized people imagine. Virtually every tribe has its own distinctive features, which are especially visible in women. Everywhere there is a painting on the body with colored clay. On the basis of which of them are located in close proximity to the place of residence of the tribe, the coloring of the villagers also depends. If some aborigines paint their bodies with white stripes and curlicues, others prefer to decorate their bodies with drawings of black, red or yellow.
Sometimes the "beauty" of aborigines can cause shock,because in the representation of a particular tribe it consists of an unreasonably long neck or inserted into the incision of the lower lip of a clay plate. Slightly more acceptable in a civilized society are relief tattoos, piercings, full or partial shaving of the hair on the head, plastering the braided hair with clay.
Despite the recent isolation and lack ofcontacts with the outside world, Aboriginal tribes of the Amazon in most cases willingly go to contact with tourists. Sometimes it becomes for them the only way to survive, because the photos, the presence in the rite or consultation with the shaman are well paid.
