essay

Tapirapé social and culture change, 1940-1953

Anais do XXXI Congreso Internacional de AmericanistasSão Paulo • Published In 1955 • Pages: 99-106

By: Wagley, Charles.

Abstract
Wagley first studied this group during 1939-1940 and he revisited them for a short time in 1953. He found that the depopulation of the tribe had continued and that in 1953 there were only 51 individuals left - the rest having died or moved far away. There was a new settlement in Caraja territory and the Tapirapé were rapidly being acculturated, especially since the shamans, traditionally the conservative element in the culture, had all died and none had taken their place. Wagley concludes that their culture remained remarkably stable in the face of the violent disruption of the society, but has been modified by borrowing and by the loss of trait and pattern due to the reduction of the population and disorganization of the society.
Subjects
Acculturation and culture contact
History
External relations
Shamans and psychotherapists
Diet
culture
Tapirapé
HRAF PubDate
2010
Region
South America
Sub Region
Eastern South America
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Timothy J. O'Leary; 1960
Field Date
1939-1953
Coverage Date
1939-1953
Coverage Place
Tapirapé river area, far northeastern Mato Grosso state, Brazil
Notes
Charles Wagley
Includes bibliographical references
LCSH
Tapirapé Indians