Ladakh, India

Kabul, Afghanistan

Chaco, Paraguay

Los Angeles, USA

CreditsCredits

All photographs by Paul McCurryAll photographs by Paul McCurry

EcosystemsEcosystems

Subsistence agricultureSubsistence agriculture

Key terms and conceptsKey terms and concepts

AcculturationAcculturation HorticultureHorticulture PatrilinealPatrilineal MoeityMoeity HouseholdHousehold Spheres of Spheres of

exchangeexchange

Slash and burn Slash and burn (swidden) (swidden) agricultureagriculture

ClanClan PolyganyPolygany

Horticulturalist Horticulturalist AdaptationAdaptation

YanomamoYanomamoTropical Rainforest Tropical Rainforest

EnvironmentsEnvironments

Among the last indigenous peoples of Among the last indigenous peoples of Amazonia to be contacted by Amazonia to be contacted by “outside” world.“outside” world.

The term applied by Chagnon:The term applied by Chagnon:“unacculturated” implies they have “unacculturated” implies they have not been incorporated into the wider not been incorporated into the wider Hispanic culture of Brazil or Hispanic culture of Brazil or Venezuela.Venezuela.

Horticultural adaptation involves Horticultural adaptation involves limited agricultural production at limited agricultural production at household scale.household scale.

Food resources are for family or Food resources are for family or village sustenance.village sustenance.

Supplemented by ongoing hunting Supplemented by ongoing hunting and foraging.and foraging.

Leisure time is afforded by successful harvests.

Irregular contact with conquistadors, Irregular contact with conquistadors, explorers, and missionaries.explorers, and missionaries.

Fiercely independent and territorial.Fiercely independent and territorial. Village life,(Village life,(shabonoshabono) centered on ) centered on

limited farming. limited farming. Male roles include that of warrior as Male roles include that of warrior as

well as farmer.well as farmer. Characteristically highly distrustful of Characteristically highly distrustful of

strangers.strangers.

In addition to contact with loggers, miners and government representatives, Yanomamo also have contact with missionaries, and international support groups.

One arrangement of many village types.

Villages influenced by government, and missionaries. Non-traditional architecture.

HorticultureHorticulture

Limited scale farmingLimited scale farming SeasonalSeasonal Generally for family or village Generally for family or village

consumption only.consumption only. Semi-sedentary and seasonally Semi-sedentary and seasonally

sedentary, but also some examples sedentary, but also some examples of permanent villages in especially of permanent villages in especially productive areas.productive areas.

Marriage and kinshipMarriage and kinship

Bilateral cross cousin marriage.

Village endogamy.

Polyggyny

Patrilineal

Marriage from specified lineages.

Internal sources of conflictInternal sources of conflict

Feuds based on land useFeuds based on land use Diminishing meat sourcesDiminishing meat sources Marriage rules and sex ratio Marriage rules and sex ratio

imbalance (practice of female imbalance (practice of female infanticide is a contributing cause)infanticide is a contributing cause)

Evil spirits and sorceryEvil spirits and sorcery Raids between villages often lead to Raids between villages often lead to

open warfare.open warfare.

External pressure for External pressure for acculturationacculturation

Advanced technologyAdvanced technology Roads built by companies altered Roads built by companies altered

settlement patterns, led to begging settlement patterns, led to begging and limited seasonal employment.and limited seasonal employment.

Two variants of Yanomamo society Two variants of Yanomamo society began to emerge.began to emerge.

Pharmaceutical companies seek new Pharmaceutical companies seek new drugs in the rainforest among tribes.drugs in the rainforest among tribes.

Environmental problemsEnvironmental problems

Mining operations have poisoned the Mining operations have poisoned the water sources.water sources.

Logging has decimated the limited Logging has decimated the limited wild game.wild game.

Lack of immunity to diseases led to Lack of immunity to diseases led to 20% of population dying from 20% of population dying from epidemic.epidemic.

Yanomamo over hunting also depletes Yanomamo over hunting also depletes protein sources.protein sources.

Strange bedfellowsStrange bedfellows

The rush to protect Yanomamo came The rush to protect Yanomamo came from environmental groups, who from environmental groups, who gained greater attention than rights gained greater attention than rights activists.activists.

New question arises, Should New question arises, Should Yanomamo be allowed to remain a Yanomamo be allowed to remain a they are? Is this not just another form they are? Is this not just another form of neglect? of neglect?

Protest over illegal mining.

Land rights issueLand rights issue

Yanomamo plight Yanomamo plight brought the political brought the political issue of indigenous issue of indigenous rights to the public. rights to the public.

In short, What rights In short, What rights do a indigenous do a indigenous people have relative people have relative to the dominant to the dominant socio-political body?socio-political body?

AlliancesAlliances

Environmental groups and human Environmental groups and human rights activists sought autonomy for rights activists sought autonomy for Yanomamo.Yanomamo.

The alliance is based in part on The alliance is based in part on recognizing the Yanomamo as recognizing the Yanomamo as significant players in the significant players in the natural ecosystem..