Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

The paintings on the fronts of the longhouses or ‘malocca’ as they are called, depict the cosmos and the four cardinal directions on the left side panel, whereas the right panel shows the local Mukuna symbols within the greater cosmos.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Women process Manioc- the staple food for the people. Bitter manioc is deadly poisonous for it had a high content of prusric acid. The Indians discovered how to prepare if for eating. The process involves peeling the flesh of the manioc and squeezing the poisonous juice out of it. A press is used for doing this which consists of a long hollow tube made out of flexible matting woven from the leaves of the forest palms. The manioc pulp is packed into this tube which is then hung from a post outside the house. The bottom of the tube ends in a loop into which a stick is inserted and twisted, squeezing the juice out. Afterwards the edible sediment collects on the bottom ñ tapico flour which is kept. This is toasted on a flat container until it acquires the consistency of toasted bread crumbs.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Mukuna boys are initiated at a young age in how to create the ritual costumes worn for the annual peach palm festival. The tree bark strips are made into grass, pounded flat and sewn into shirts and masks. Tree resin is cooked and mixed with urucum seeds before applying in to decorate the costumes.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Mukuna man creates the ritual costumes worn for the annual peach palm festival. The tree bark strips are made into grass, pounded flat and sewn into shirts and masks. Tree resin is cooked and mixed with urucum seeds before applying in to decorate the costumes.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

The Mukuna believe that human beings, animals and all of Nature are part of the same one. In a particularly important communal dance, the Mukuna symbolically invite the animals to come and share food and drink with them in exchange for the animals and fish that the men killed for food. During this ritual, performed every year at the beginning of the wet season, men dress in painted masks representing various animal spirits. This ritual called the Spirit Dance expresses the idea central to the Mukuna way of life. That men and animals depend for their survival and reproduction on each other. Wearing bark cloth masks dancers representing fish spirits make their way to a ceremonial longhouse for the Spirit Dance.

Makuna Indians, Columbian Amazone

Wearing bark cloth masks dancers representing fish spirits make their way to a ceremonial longhouse for the Spirit Dance. The Mukuna believe that human beings, animals and all of Nature are part of the same one. In a particularly important communal dance, the Mukuna symbolically invite the animals to come and share food and drink with them in exchange for the animals and fish that the men killed for food. During this ritual, performed every year at the beginning of the wet season, men dress in painted masks representing various animal spirits. This ritual called the Spirit Dance expresses the idea central to the Mukuna way of life. That men and animals depend for their survival and reproduction on each other. Columbian Amazone

Makuna Indians, Columbian Amazone

The Mukuna believe that human beings, animals and all of Nature are part of the same one. In a particularly important communal dance, the Mukuna symbolically invite the animals to come and share food and drink with them in exchange for the animals and fish that the men killed for food. During this ritual, performed every year at the beginning of the wet season, men dress in painted masks representing various animal spirits. This ritual called the Spirit Dance expresses the idea central to the Mukuna way of life. That men and animals depend for their survival and reproduction on each other. Columbian Amazone

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Preparing for the Spirit Dance.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Wearing bark cloth masks dancers representing fish spirits make their way to a ceremonial longhouse for the Spirit Dance.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Wearing bark cloth masks, dancers representing fish spirits make their way out of the ceremonial longhouse.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Wearing bark cloth masks, dancers representing fish spirits make their way out of the ceremonial longhouse.

As the spirit dancers glide through their moves they are joined by the women, demonstrating the male-female union of fertitlity and longevity. The dancers eventually approach a bowl of peach palm drink guided by Mukuna women. Women are considered the ultimate masters of life, not only are they the procreators of new generations of clan members, but also the ‘mothers’ of the cultivated plants. Every women fulfils in her life the procreative role of the Ancestral Mother, the female creator of the world and the mother of all plants.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

A blur of fish dancers glide through the Malacca. The Mukuna believe that human beings, animals and all of Nature are part of the same one. In a particularly important communal dance, the Mukuna symbolically invite the animals to come and share food and drink with them in exchange for the animals and fish that the men killed for food. During this ritual, performed every year at the beginning of the wet season, men dress in painted masks representing various animal spirits. This ritual called the Spirit Dance expresses the idea central to the Mukuna way of life. That men and animals depend for their survival and reproduction on each other.

As the spirit dancers glide through their moves they are joined by the women, demonstrating the male-female union of fertitlity and longevity. The dancers eventually approach a bowl of peach palm drink guided by Mukuna women. Women are considered the ultimate masters of life, not only are they the procreators of new generations of clan members, but also the ‘mothers’ of the cultivated plants. Every women fulfils in her life the procreative role of the Ancestral Mother, the female creator of the world and the mother of all plants.

DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

A blur of fish dancers glide through the Malacca. The Mukuna believe that human beings, animals and all of Nature are part of the same one. In a particularly important communal dance, the Mukuna symbolically invite the animals to come and share food and drink with them in exchange for the animals and fish that the men killed for food. During this ritual, performed every year at the beginning of the wet season, men dress in painted masks representing various animal spirits. This ritual called the Spirit Dance expresses the idea central to the Mukuna way of life. That men and animals depend for their survival and reproduction on each other.

As the spirit dancers glide through their moves they are joined by the women, demonstrating the male-female union of fertitlity and longevity. The dancers eventually approach a bowl of peach palm drink guided by Mukuna women. Women are considered the ultimate masters of life, not only are they the procreators of new generations of clan members, but also the ‘mothers’ of the cultivated plants. Every women fulfils in her life the procreative role of the Ancestral Mother, the female creator of the world and the mother of all plants.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

The paintings on the fronts of the longhouses or ‘malocca’ as they are called, depict the cosmos and the four cardinal directions on the left side panel, whereas the right panel shows the local Mukuna symbols within the greater cosmos.

Dance of water people,Makuna

Mukuna woman working in her manioc garden.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Mukuna woman and her children take a break from working their manioc garden.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

A Makuna woman cooking manioc bread. Manioc also known as cassava is the staple food of the Mukuna.

Makuna Indians, Columbian Amazone

Mukuna man relaxes on hammock. Columbian Amazone

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Makuna woman pounding coca.

Dance of waterpeople,Makuna

Sunset,Makuna,Colombia

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

As the spirit dancers glide through their moves they are joined by the women, demonstrating the male-female union of fertitlity and longevity. The dancers eventually approach a bowl of peach palm drink guided by Mukuna women. Women are considered the ultimate masters of life, not only are they the procreators of new generations of clan members, but also the ‘mothers’ of the cultivated plants. Every women fulfils in her life the procreative role of the Ancestral Mother, the female creator of the world and the mother of all plants.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Makuna boy relaxing on a hammoc.

Makuna Indians, Columbian Amazone

Portrait of a young Makuna fisherman. Columbian Amazone

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Makuna Man.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Makuna Indian girl. VAupes area.

Makuna girl cuts up an iguana for the evening meal.

Mankuna man resting in a traditional hammock.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Mukuna Indian warrior.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Mukuna man creates the ritual costumes worn for the annual peach palm festival. The tree bark strips are made into grass, pounded flat and sewn into shirts and masks. Tree resin is cooked and mixed with urucum seeds before applying in to decorate the costumes.

Makuna Indians, Columbian Amazone

35. Mukuna kids at Elementary school built for the Mukuna by the missionaries in the Vaupes area. Columbian Amazone

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Exotic flora along the Apaporis river, home of the Makuna Indians. Vaupes, Columbian Amazon.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

The Mukuna Indians live in the Vaupes region of eastern Columbia where dense rainforests crowd the headwaters of the Amazon. They believe that their ancestors were fish people who emerged in the form of anacondas from the Water Doorway east of their world, hence they refer to themselves as “The Water People.” Mukuna family life. The Mukuna view themselves as a group of clans united by intermarriage. Traditionally, each clan inhabits a longhouse ñ malocca-with its own headman.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Mukuna man weaves basket.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Mukuna man weaves pine leaves to thatch long house.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

The Mukuna Indians live in the Vaupes region of eastern Columbia where dense rainforests crowd the headwaters of the Amazon. They believe that their ancestors were fish people who emerged in the form of anacondas from the Water Doorway east of their world, hence they refer to themselves as “The Water People.” Mukuna family life. The Mukuna view themselves as a group of clans united by intermarriage. Traditionally, each clan inhabits a longhouse ñ malocca-with its own headman.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Mukuna man weaves pine leaves to thatch long house.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

The paintings on the fronts of the longhouses or ‘malocca’.

A Makuna hunter with a blow gun.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

The Mukuna use canoes and have an elaborate fishing technology. They eat fish, although some species are taboo to particular clans. Mukuna religion is a kind of ecosophy. They consider saltlicks and fish spawning places to be sacred and their shaman carefully mediate the reciprocity among humans, fish and game animals to keep it in balance.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Mukuna Indian negotiates in a hand carved canoes and have an elaborate fishing technology. They eat fish, although some species are taboo to particular clans. Mukuna religion is a kind of ecosophy. They consider saltlicks and fish spawning places to be sacred and their shaman carefully mediate the reciprocity among humans, fish and game animals to keep it in balance.

Makuna-DANCE OF THE WATER PEOPLE

Makuna mother with her child paddle the Apaporis River in the Vaupes area. Mukuna people are referred to as the Water People.