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There are hundreds of Indigenous villages, also known as tribes, that live in isolated areas, with most of them located in Latin America, especially in the Amazon region, which includes countries such as Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Guyana, Suriname and Bolivia.
These tribes live in a very different way from ours and retain customs and beliefs different from ours and, therefore, very curious for us. Do you dare to know them better? In Green Ecologist we tell you how the Amazon tribes live.
How the Amazon Tribes Live: Summary
The vast majority of these tribes inhabit dense vegetation zones, which is very useful when it comes to taking refuge and hiding. Their way of life is quite primitive, since they use very simple tools, made from bones, stones, wood or animal remains, with little knowledge of the metallurgical sector.
Obviously, they don't have electricity or running water either, so make the most of the sunlight, using the fire in the darkest hours to light up and, if necessary as a source of heat and for cooking. Regarding the water used by Amazonian tribesThey use natural tributaries, such as rivers or even rainwater, storing it in small containers made of wood and animal remains, such as turtle shells.
They can present different structures as housing, depending on the tribe or indigenous people we are talking about. Thus, while some build wooden houses, others use vegetation for shelter and some do not even have villages or buildings but maintain a nomadic lifestyle and live in constant movement.
The diet of each tribe It is also very varied, in the same way that its clothing, rituals, beliefs and customsEach town has its own, although some aspects are shared between some of the tribes.
Amazon tribes
The Kalapalos
They are located in different villages located in the Xingu Park (Brazil), their language being the characteristic of the region, Karib. In fact, they share it with some other tribes in the area, although they present small differences, each of the tribes using their own dialect. They live on earthen esplanades, surrounded by vegetation, where they build large huts using tree trunks and dry branches.
One of the most characteristic aspects of this tribe is the practice of ifutisu, which defines their behavior and ethics. Therefore, the kalapalos have a not very aggressive character, with the word predominating over strength, being at the same time generous and hospitable. Regarding their culture and customs, we can highlight a strong sexist separation in their way of life, with men and women developing most of the activities separately. However, in the practice of their festivals and rituals this separation is forgotten, using music as a means of communication and union.
The Yanomanis
They live in villages very distant from each other, most of them being in Venezuela and many others in Brazil, communicating in a language of their tribe, known as Yanomani. They live in small villages of between 40 and 50 people, building huts with remains of wood and dry vegetation and placing them in a characteristic conical shape.
They have many traditions, describing several of the most important myths the creation of the world, the origins of their tribe and the birth of the earth the sun. Among their customs, the practice of cannibalism is striking, as part of one of their sacred rituals since they believe that the person's energy resides in the bones and that, by eating their ashes, they obtain that source of vitality.
The Piripkuras
Also known as "the butterfly people" due to the way they move through the jungles of Brazil. Their language is Tupi-kawahib, which they share with other indigenous peoples. This is one of the most isolated tribes and has less contact with other humans, therefore, many data regarding their way of life are unknown.
This is due to the fact that, according to the most current research, they have suffered a strong devastation due to the activities carried out by the foreign man, for which they have been forced to remain in continuous movement, focusing mainly on their survival, losing their style of life. life, customs, rituals and beliefs.
Learn more about them and other Amazonian tribes in this other Green Ecologist article in which we tell you what the indigenous peoples of the Amazon are.
Threats and problems faced by the tribes of the Amazon
Although the amazon tribes present great differences in their Lifestyle, all of them have something in common, and it is their lack of interest in maintaining contact with the outside world to your area or, if it is not in itself a lack of interest, your decision not to maintain this contact for protection, among other reasons. This is due to the disastrous result of encounters that have taken place throughout history, in which outsiders have destroyed and invaded their villages and subjected them as slaves.
In fact, today, this devastation is still present, due to the deforestation of their territories and the construction of dams and roads, which leads to the destruction of their habitat. Because of this, many indigenous peoples have been forced to abandon their homes and others simply face the situation, finding themselves on the brink of extinction.
Another cause of loss of indigenous population is, the transmission of first world diseases. It must be borne in mind that they hardly have medical services and their immune system is not used to some viruses such as the common cold. Contact with man from outside the Amazon region has caused the transmission of diseases such as measles or the flu, which have caused the death of a large part of the tribes.
Therefore, there are various associations that are responsible for promoting and protecting the conservation of indigenous peoples. Something that not only benefits them, but the planet, since they represent the best model of life that respects nature, protecting their environment and biodiversity.
If you want to read more articles similar to How the Amazon tribes live, we recommend that you enter our category of Indigenous Peoples.
