URARINA INDIAN CHAMBIRA PALM FIBER BAG 

RIO CHAMBIRA-PERU (UPPER AMAZON BASIN) 

IT IS ABOUT 4 INCHES WIDE, 7 INCHES IN HEIGHT. STRAP IS ABOUT 20 INCHES LONG AND 0.5 INCHES WIDE. 

AGE UNKOWN. IN GOOD CONDITION.

HANDWOVEN BAG IS FROM CHAMBIRA PALM. THE PALM FIBERS ARE SPLIT INTO SMALL STRIPS TO PRODUCE THE CHORD AND NATURAL DYES ARE APPLIED. ADORNED WITH FEATHERS, TEETH, SEEDS, PART OF A GOURD

Urarina. The first contact was in 1651 by Jesuit Missionaries. They were almost wiped out by the rubber barons and were less than 300 people at the end of the 19th century. They live isolated in the the Chambria basin. Population is around 2000. They are semi nomadic and survive by slash and burn farming/hunting (blowguns/shotguns/traps). They live in long houses off the ground in which several families may live. They only marry within the tribe and have not practiced the stealing of women from other tribes and less than 1% have been outside the basin. Woman are the producers of trade goods--Cachiwangos (woven palm sleeping mat) Shiras (palm bag) and Hammocks (palm). They cook,take care of the children, haul water, work in the shacras (garden)and make the Masato which is a staple. They dress the same way they did over 75 years ago with a red top/black bottom skirt and a layer of beaded necklaces. They don't comb their hair and when they have their first menstruation there hair is cut off and show passage into womanhood. Men they hunt/fish and work in the gardens. Only men maybe a Shaman and present the ayahuasca.Their dress is the same as their grandfathers which is a shirt with a collar (traded by wood buyers) and shorts or pants. Sandals are optional. They have received little attention from the outside world (few traders/wood traders/chanta traders). Less than 40% can read or write. They have a life style that is comfortable which has remained unchanged for many years.

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