Guarani Tribe example essay topic

The Guarani is an indigenous group living in the eastern lowland area of South America, with a population of about 80,000. It is believed that the Guaranis originated in the area of the Amazon River, then started to move south and inland (web). They now reside in Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil and their language is spoken by nearly 4 million people. (web). There currently are three main sub-divisions of the Guarani tribes. Those are the Mbya, the Ava Guarani, and the Pay Tavytera, although they seem very cultured, they carry many of the traditional cultural elements of the land around them (web).

They cling to their religious traditions and feel that what the earth-touches symbolizes its ethnicity. One of the three main tribes, The Mbya, can be found in the northern area of East Paraguay. The Mbya identify with their peers, the same way as their ancestors used to, through the remembrance of the tam beao, which is a woven garment made by the ancestors; eating habits and linguistic expressions (web). Despite the various types of pressures that the Guarani have faced and suffered over the past couple of centuries, and with the separation of their villages, the Mbya began to see themselves as a different group from the rest of the Guarani (web). The Mbya have a good religious background, which allows them to see their peers as equals, and to fully respect the lands that surround them. The Guaycuru of the South maintained the southern area from Ville ta until Corrientes.

The Guaycuru were always in search of horses and the livestock, because of their inter-ethical fights, in hopes to defend themselves. That was until the end of the eighteenth century. The last of the three main tribes is the Ava-Guarani, who can be found in the southern part of the Venezuelan Plains (web). When the Spaniards established their place in Asuncion, the Guarani looked to form an alliance with the Spaniards (web). They wanted to because their river was constantly being threatened by surrounding tribes and they figured it they formed an alliance with the Spaniards, it would help to protect them, their family and their land. In way to get the Spaniards to form an alliance with the Guarani, the Guarani gave them corn and other food, as well as servants.

The Guaranis are farmers, cultivating mainly corn, sweet potatoes, manioc root, tea, etc. Their handicraft is known to portray the forest and its living beings, and their basket weaving is seen to portray repeating patterns of snake skins, leopards and other animals. Also, shapes of animals are also represented through the makings of wood and clay objects. As you can see, the Guaranis believe that the environment that surrounds them is an import factor in their life...

Spirituality is shown through their daily chores, but it is mainly expressed through music. Through their music, they portray the sounds of their environment, using instruments like flutes and percussion's. Although their material culture was not advanced, Guaran'i songs, dances, and myths make up a rich of folklore (web). Their music represents a valuable part of their culture and reflects their spiritual belief However, the Guarani Indians are extremely silent.

It is through their native language, with their legends, beliefs, music and expressions that it is possible to preserve their ancient knowledge (web). The Guaranis are typically short and stout, light colored and average a little over five feet tall. The men of the tribes wear only g-strings, with labret's on the lower lip and feather crowns on their head; and the women wear woven garments that cover the whole length of their body (web). The Guarani are widely known for the involvement in the early Jesuit missions of Paraguay (web). The Jesuit missions were established to help protect the indigenous tribes of South America from being victimized in the slave trade. For about 150 years, the Jesuits had succeeded in keeping the Guaranis safe from the slave hunters.

They founded several missions or '. They put into practice the study of the Gospel and helped isolate the Guaranis from "bad" European influence. The first settlement was founded in 1609. Many other Missions were established along the rivers, in the Chaco, Guaira and Paran'a territories (web).

The first missions were founded in Brazil, but due to the raids of slave hunters, were soon abandoned (1640's.) (web). The missions were laid out in a uniformed way. The buildings were grouped in a central square, consisting of a church, store-houses and the dwellings of the Indians outlined the other three sides. Each family had their own apartments, but shared the common grounds of their homes with about a hundred other families. The dwellings were mostly made out of clay and cane, but sometimes were made of stone. The churches were made of stone or fine wood and had elaborate sculptures, tall towers and altars (web).

The homes that housed the priests, stables, workshops and the hospitals were mostly made of adobe or cane, which had homemade furniture and artwork (web). Every member of the had specific jobs. The men were in charge of hunting, fishing and agriculture and the women were left to plant the crops. In addition to the cultivation of crops, agriculture and stock rising, each men had their own gardens that needed to be maintained. The assignment of individual fields were based on groupings led by caciques (chiefs).

Each village included Guarani factions or cliques ranked according to their seniority within the village. Some villages contained as many as twenty or thirty caciques along with their cliques (web). Each clique consisted of thirty to forty families. The amount of land assigned to each clique depended on the group's seniority, and its number of members. Each clique received enough land to satisfy its individual members' needs, making it unnecessary to seek land in other areas. These private gardens provided the families with their own food, and were also used as a form of currency, allowing them to purchase necessary goods only found in the shops (web).

The Guaranis, like I said, were known for their weaving, but also specialized in carpentry and building boats. Both the men and women had become familiar with medicine. Learning the many ways to cure illnesses and wounds with the many things found in nature. In recent times, however, hunting and fishing have decreased in importance, and men have become much more active in agriculture. Both men and women are now described as being primarily agriculturalists. Each reduction had their own activities to do, which was determined by the priests.

Some practiced animal husbandry, others cultivated crops, or devoted themselves to carpentry or working in precious metals. The main reason for the formation of the missions was to protect the indigenous tribes, and to teach them the views of Christianity. This development was accepted by the Guarani Indians- because it freed them from slavery and from being controlled by the colonists (web). The attempts that were made to convert the Guarani to Christianity during the sixteenth century, when the area was being colonized by the Spaniards and the Portuguese, had failed. The Jesuits realized that they would have to create an environment in which Guarani tribes from different places could feel a sense of unity. They chose land that could be easily defended, with forests, streams and also areas that could be farmed.

From the very beginning, the Guarani missions had cause the colonists to envy what they had. In turn, caused them to be attacked by (slave hunters), adventurers and gold prospectors from the Sao Paulo region of Brazil (web). The most severe attacks took place between 1628 and 1630, when groups of Indians were captured and taken into slavery. Eventually the Jesuits moved the reductions and established them to a safer area between the Uruguay and Parana rivers.

Determined to keep the Guaranis at the their fingertips, the Spanish colonist were also extremely hostile to the missionaries. In the mid-seventeenth century, the Jesuits asked the King of Spain for permission to arm the reductions so that they could defend themselves against attack (web). From this, they were able to establish thirty missions. They flourished, and some were made up of more than 6,000 Indians. In the second half of the eighteenth century, the missionaries ended, partly as a result of the treaties between Spain and Portugal, but also because the Spanish and Portuguese threw the Jesuits out of there dominions (web). The political and religious aspect of the missions was seen as a threat to Spanish imperial power, and the Jesuits were replaced by priests that belonged to specific religious orders.

Soon enough, the Indians were dispersed and the reductions had been ruined. The Guarani's today are facing many hard ships. Since 1975, "the Guarani Indians, living outside of Aracruz, in Espiritu Santo State, have been fighting for the recognition of their rights to occupy their traditional lands" (web). The government have begun to give back the lands to the Indians that were taken by the Portuguese Crown. Now, they must deal with the economic power of big companies and the ignorance they receive from the Brazilian government. To ensure their survival, the Indians are fighting for the expansion of their land, which presently is occupied by Aracruz Cellulose A / C Company.

The immediate goal of the Portuguese Crown was not only to occupy the Guarani territory but to develop it as well. Their strategy was to invade the indigenous groups in a controlled environment and force slave labor upon them. Because of the labor, the Indians' enslavement, caused for the outbreak of many diseases and changed the way they fought, which in the end weakened the tribe (web). After 1940, the Indians of Aracruz suffered another invasion of their land. The Government declared that the forested areas occupied by the Indians belonged to the Union and to themselves.

The Iron and Steel Company of Vitoria is located inside the indigenous territory, taking over and destroying their lands as well. The forests were and still are destroyed. Once the land was cleared of forest, it was occupied by coffee plantations (web). The Guarani believe land is very important.

It is even in their religion which states that they should worship the land above all else, and that the land is the origin of all life. They also believe that the land without evil is the resting place for their souls. The Guarani were one of the first peoples in contact with the settlers. Their land was taken from them to increase settler's profit. The Guarani were put into plots of land with barley enough room to contain a whole tribe. Not to mention that the resources and supplies that were given to their people were in poor condition.

They were forced to work as cheap labor on the farms and the land that was taken from them was cleared out and used for crops and the grazing of cattle. The settlers even built homes over the Guarani graveyards (web). The Guarani have taken their case to the courts in attempt to gain land rights, and have their traditional lands turned into Indian reserves. They also wish to have occupation rights returned to them after they were taken away in 2000. Their have been many conflicts while trying to come up with some sort of agreement. Since their land had been removed from them and the changing of their traditional way of life, the Guarani have had increased suicide rates.

There has also been many fights between the settlers, and the Guarani. When the Guarani attempted to take back their land, the settlers fought back killing a good portion of the tribe (web). Another conflict that has risen is that the government has agreed to give them their traditional lands back, but will not compensate the settlers. Therefore, the settlers have refused to leave there lands until they receive payment from the government... They feel that since they weren't the ones to take the land away from the tribes, that they should still get the money they deserve for the land they reside on now, seeing as though land value has risen in the past few years (web).

In the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil, there are, today, around 100 areas occupied by the Mbya. On the coast of these states there are around 60 villages, which only 16, have had their areas destroyed by the President of the Republic. In the interior of ten of which have been occupied by the Kain gang Indians, while the Guarani occupy only a small portion of these area (web). A decision was made by the supreme court of Sao Paulo, which rejected the decision to relocate the Guarani tribe; that was made by a local judge in favor of a major company. The court accepted the petition for Indigenous Rights to prohibit a judge from Mato Grosso do Sul from participating in cases related to the Guarani in the future (web). They did this because all of the decisions she has made have been in favor of the ranchers' interests; with results ending in thousands of displaced Indians (web).

Over the last ten years, the Guarani people of Mato Grosso do Sul; have experienced an epidemic of suicides. According to the Brazilian government, 270 Guarani have killed themselves so far, but there have been stories that the number is closer to 300. In 1995 alone, the number of recorded suicides was 56, sharply up from the 24 reported the previous year (web). The majority have been Guarani-Kiowa, mostly young people between the ages of 18 and 25. It is no coincidence that the suicides have mainly taken place in areas where a large concentration of Guarani live on a very small amount of land, often crammed together with members of other displaced tribes. "Routinely evicted for years from the lands on which their traditional life of hunting, fishing, farming and worship depends, the Guarani have found in suicide a final act of defiance" (web).

The Guarani tribes, because of their living situations and their surrounding environment, feel that resorting to suicide, is the only way to make things better for themselves, and the rest of their tribe. However, shockingly enough, many of the suicides committed are by younger children. In 1995 alone, over 20 percent of them were under the age of 14. The first suicide of 1996 was a 10 year-old girl, who killed herself by ingesting pesticides, another girl hung herself from the ceiling beams while her family was out doing chores. I have included a graph to show the rate of suicide for the Guarani tribe between the years of 1986-1999. Rosalind Ortiz, Guarani women, says 'The Guarani are committing suicide because we have no land.

We don't have space any more. In the old days, we were free, now we are no longer free. So our young people look around them and think there is nothing left and wonder how they can live. They sit down and think, they forget, they lose themselves and then commit suicide (web) The Guarani were able to resist the invasions until the beginning of this century. Now new pressures make this resistance even more difficult. 'For the Guarani, the basis of their resistance is their religion.

But today, many Protestant churches come to our communities with the same discourse that the Jesuits came with during the 'discovery' of Brazil. They are killing our culture. Without a cultural identity, our people wander the streets of the cities, drinking, panhandling, being mocked by white society" (web). As you can see, that Guarani tribe has dealt with many hardships, and continue to do so till this day. They need our help and the help of their community in giving them back the rights to land they so richly deserve. They can not continue on killing themselves.

It is putting a strain on their beliefs and their pride as a tribe. The more suicides go on, the harder it is going to be to restore the mentality of the tribe. They will forever be burdened with this. Knowing that they could do nothing to prevent their children from killing themselves, along with their friends and other family members.

All they are asking for, is to have their rightful land back, the land with no evil. When they do get it back, which will hopefully happen within the next few years, they will be able to restore there tribes, and continue on living their life, the way their ancestors did. Believing in the land around them, and that it will help comfort and guide them to a better life.