"Indigenous cultural elements adopted by the settlers of European origin"

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"Indigenous cultural elements adopted by the settlers of European origin"

In this section of the text, the author lists cultural elements of the indigenous Brazilian population that were adopted by the settlers of European origin. These mainly include the knowledge and use of Brazilian flora, but also practices of healing, mythical figures and a form of neighbourly support. During the colonial period, a hybridization of European and indigenous cultures took place. The indigenous legacy manifests itself differently throughout Brazil, but is particularly visible in rural areas.

Willems, Emilio

The Mexican book was published in the subseries Período indígena (Indigenous Era) of the series Programa de Historia de America (American History Programme) of the Instituto Panamericano de Geografía e Historia (Pan American Institute of Geography and History). The series was dedicated to the Cuban writer and independence activist José Martí in celebration of his 100th birthday and sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. It is divided into three subseries Período indígena, Período colonial, and Período nacional (Indigenous, Colonial, and National Eras). In addition to this book ten other volumes were published, primarily dedicated to regional aspects, were published.

[p. 108]

APPENDIX

List of the cultural indigenous elements that were adopted by the settlers of European origin:

Slash-and-burn agriculture .

The collection of wild plants as food (Amazon).

Edible plants such as manioc, sweet potato, yam, tannia, mangarito, pine, papaya, jabuticaba, cashew, plantain, pepper, nuts, almonds [...]

Wild plants used for the production of objects such as mats, ropes, fishing line, nets, rooves, walls, baskets ^a , hats etc. Examples: Tucum, typha, justicia pectoralis, […].

Dugout canoes .

Tipití , or manioc presses.

Manioc flour , fermented or normal.

Beijú , or manioc flour cake.

Use of manioc juice for the preservation and preparation of certain dishes.

Fishing poisons , especially timbó.

The mutirão , a form of neighbourly support for certain kinds of labour.

Indigenous shamanism (Amazon) with the healing practices of massage, suction, and of the inhalation of smoke.

The notion of the panema , a magical power that invades the body and brings misfortune.

Mythical creatures like the Saci (an evil dwarf) […]

[p. 109]

COMMENTARY

There is no doubt that these elements joined neo-Brazilian culture in the colonial period. The large scale racial mixing of Portuguese and Indian people probably contributed to the cultural hybridisation.

Depending on the density of the Indian population, its cultural development, and the nature of the contacts that it established with the Portuguese, the distribution of the indigenous legacy within neo-Brazilian culture varies. It is omnipresent in the Amazon region, but scarce in the metropolitan areas of the south. There are, however, in all rural areas of Brazil, certain cultural aspects that are distinctly indigenous, most notably of course the cultivation and use of manioc.

[...]

[a] Translator’s note: Balaio and cesto both denote baskets. ↩

Translation:
Murphy, Charlotte

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WorldViews. The World in Textbooks

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