The Wanano Indians of the Brazilian Amazon: A Sense of Space
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- Synopsis
-
The Wanano Indians of the northwest Amazon have a social system that differs from those of most tropical forest tribes. Neither stratified by wealth nor strictly egalitarian, Wanano society is "ranked" according to rigidly bound descent groups. In this pioneering ethnographic study, Janet M. Chernela decodes the structure of Wanano society.
In Wanano culture, children can be "grandparents," while elders can be "grandchildren." This apparent contradiction springs from the fact that descent from ranked ancestors, rather than age or accumulated wealth, determines one's standing in Wanano society. But ranking's impulse is muted as senior clans, considered to be succulent (referring to both seniority and resource abundance), must be generous gift-givers. In this way, resources are distributed throughout the society.
- Copyright:
- 1993
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Publisher Quality
- ISBN-13:
- 9780292782679
- Related ISBNs:
- 9780292711860, 9780292799516
- Publisher:
- University of Texas Press
- Date of Addition:
- 04/08/16
- Copyrighted By:
- University of Texas Press
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Nonfiction, Social Studies, Sociology
- Submitted By:
- Bookshare Staff
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.