Aug 21, 2024
Tapirape man, Brazil, by AmazonieIndienne
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Tapirape man, Brazil, by AmazonieIndienne
While trying to fix another problem with the post-flagging system, I managed to get in touch with a person on @staff who is NOT an asshole! Although it was unrelated to my original request, she unflagged some posts that had non-sexual nips. Kat, if you’re out there, Thank you!
Post 1: Valentino
Post 2: Dayak people
Post 3: Tapirape people
Post 4: Dassenach people
Post 5: Bodi people
The Tapirapé indigenous people is a Brazilian Indian tribe that survived the European conquest and subsequent colonization of the country, keeping with little changes most of their culture and customs. Stationed deep into the Amazon rainforest, they had little direct contact with Europeans until around 1910, and even then that contact was sporadic until the 1950s.
The Tapirapé didn't use any clothing whatsoever in their daily life; but men were ashamed of their penis glans, which they covered with a small cone attached to the prepuce. Women squatted and sat with their legs together. Both women and men painted their bodies with diverse designs according to age and gender. On special ceremonies and dances they would also use skirts, anklets and wrist bands.
The last two images are of the ‘Cara Grande’, also called ‘Upé-mask’. These ‘Cara Grande’ masks consist of a wooden board, on which the coloured birds’ feathers are glued to create a large, stylised face. Formerly, the Tapirapé mainly used the blue and red feathers of the Ara parrot, yet for the detailed feather mosaic they also used feathers of other birds. These ‘Cara Grande’ masks were produced in mens’ houses and ‘danced with’ during feasts in the dry season. Each ‘Cara Grande’ mask has a name, but it may not be spoken aloud. Generally it is the name of a killed Karajá warrior. The far more numerous Karajá live near the Rio Araguaia and are neighbours of the Tapirapé. Since time immemorial, the Tapirapé and the Karajá have been enemies and do battle with each other. Therefore the Tapirapé never speak the name of a ‘Cara Grande’ mask out loud, in order not to provoke or insult the dangerous Karajá.
Since the late 1960s, the Tapirapé have ‘produced’ this type of mask also for tourists and the ethno-trade. But these later souvenir masks are much more colourful. Since there are not so many Ara parrots in the territory of the Tapirapé anymore, they must resort to feathers of other birds.
South America : Tapirape tribe