Kalapalo

The Kalapalos (or Kalopalos ) are one of the 17 Amerindian tribes to live the National park of Xingu in the Haut-Xingu with the Mato Grosso. They are also one of the 4 people of Caribbean language of this same park.

History

The Caribbean dialect of Kalapalos shows that they did not always live the Haut-Xingu. Their linguistic parents closest are Mafiritare and Hixkaryana, tribes which one meets in the south of the Venezuela and of the Guyana. Kalapalos and these tribes have certain religious rites also in common.

Their migration towards Rio Xingu is probably due to the contacts violent one with the Spaniards in the middle of the XVIIIe century.

In 1945, they are the first tribe of Haut-Xingu to being visited by the Frères Villas Boas, used by the government to build an air base in the area. They were suspected of having assassinated the British explorer Percy Fawcett a score of years before and one of the brothers, Orlando, questioned them on this subject. This one came to the conclusion that Fawcett had been killed by the chief of Kalapalos but without bringing concrete evidence.

Manners and habits

Before 1961, creation date of the National park of Xingu, Kalapalos lived with the confluence of Rios Tanguro and Culuene, this last being an affluent of the Xingu. Since, the Brazilian government convinced them to be established near the station Leonardo , so that they are more close to possible medical care. However, they frequently turn over to their old villages where they can cultivate the Manioc and the Coton and where they can gather molluscs for artisanal ends.

Kalapalos have a rigorous code of ethics established by them which distinguish them from the other people living Haut-Xingu. They divide all collectively, their culture like their fishing. The public quarrels and brawls are a serious violation of their code and are punished. They prohibit hunting for the terrestrial animals with fur, being satisfied to eat aquatic animals of which fish.

Sources

Web site www.estadao.com.gr/vilasboas/kalapalo.ptm (in Portuguese)

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