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21-420: This range is home to a single village of Wai-Wais , the descendants of surviving tribes that were once believed extinct. The village was first mentioned around 1837. The unnamed high point of this range is located at 1°22′N 59°11′W  /  1.367°N 59.183°W  / 1.367; -59.183 , and has an altitude of 1,009 metres (3,310 ft). This range extends to the east, where it becomes

42-541: A Native person about religious beliefs or ceremonies is often viewed with suspicion." One example of this is the Apache medicine cord or Izze-kloth whose purpose and use by Apache medicine elders was a mystery to nineteenth century ethnologists because "the Apache look upon these cords as so sacred that strangers are not allowed to see them, much less handle them or talk about them." The term medicine man/woman , like

63-698: Is a common practice in many Indigenous households of the Americas; however, medicine people often have more in-depth knowledge of using plants for healing or other purposes. The terms medicine people or ceremonial people are sometimes used in Native American and First Nations communities, for example, when Arwen Nuttall ( Cherokee ) of the National Museum of the American Indian writes, "The knowledge possessed by medicine people

84-495: Is not preferred by Native American or First Nations communities. There are many fraudulent healers and scam artists , known as plastic shamans who pose as Native American "shamans", and the Cherokee Nation has had to speak out against these people, even forming a task force to handle the issue. In order to seek help from a medicine person, a person needs to know someone in the community who can vouch for them and provide

105-416: Is privileged, and it often remains in particular families." Native Americans tend to be quite reluctant to discuss issues about medicine or medicine people with non-Indians. In some cultures, the people will not even discuss these matters with American Indians from other tribes. In most tribes, medicine elders are prohibited from advertising or introducing themselves as such. As Nuttall writes, "An inquiry to

126-529: The Tumuk Humak Mountains along the border of Suriname and French Guiana with Brazil. This Guyana location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Wai-Wai (people) The Wai-wai (also written Waiwai or Wai Wai ) are a Carib-speaking Indigenous people of Guyana and northern Brazil . Their society consists of different lowland forest peoples who have maintained much of their cultural identity with

147-686: The Kassikaityu, Kamoa, Sipu and Chodikar rivers. Medicine man A medicine man (from Ojibwe mashkikiiwinini ) or medicine woman (from Ojibwe mashkikiiwininiikwe ) is a traditional healer and spiritual leader who serves a community of Indigenous people of the Americas . Each culture has its own name in its language for spiritual healers and ceremonial leaders. In the ceremonial context of Indigenous North American communities , " medicine " usually refers to spiritual healing. Medicine people use many practices, including specialized knowledge of Native American ethnobotany . Herbal healing

168-571: The Konashen District of Guyana created the nation's first Community Owned Conservation Area (COCA) . This area is legally protected under regulations passed by the Guyana parliament. 625,000-hectare is a protected area that was developed with the technical and financial support of Conservation International . The Wai-Wai people were given the formal title to this land in 2004, and has worked with Guyana's Environmental Protection Agency and

189-578: The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to develop COCA. The goal is that the area will bring economic benefit to the Wai Wai, and protect a large part of the rainforest. Because the Wai Wai have kept a deep cultural and spiritual relationship with the Earth, protecting natural resources and biodiversity in this region is a main objective. The COCA community is open to visitors all over the world, and protecting

210-447: The Wai Wai are great hunters, they are also farmers. However, the light, thin soil they have to work with and an annual rainfall of 4 meters can make it very challenging to produce enough food. Their traditional method of farming was the ' slash and burn ' method. The Wai Wai are known for their weaving. They twist cotton into yarn for weaving, but they (along with Arawak and Carib people) are known for their hammock weaving. All

231-464: The Wai Wai people will craft their flutes and drums out of natural materials found in the surrounding Amazon rainforest. Women play a crucial role in the Wai-Wai culture. In terms of Wai-Wai constructs, the men's success in terms of wealth and power are dependent on female labor and reproduction. The size and stability of a village are dependent on cultural values and how relationships are tied. For

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252-585: The Wai-Wai as: During the early 20th century, some of the Wai-Wai in Brazil moved further north. It is speculated that this is because of the influenza epidemic that nearly exterminated the Taruma tribe. From 1933 to 1938, the Wai-Wai people moved deeper in Guyana's interior to avoid the outsiders working with the Boundary Commission. The Wai-wai in Guyana live in the far south of the country, near

273-466: The Wai-Wai people chose to migrate to Brazil following the heavy persecution, violent imprisonment and forceful extradition of Christian missionaries by the authoritarian government run by Forbes Burnham at the time. Many of the missionaries were well liked among much of the tribe. When the missions had to leave Guyana because their residence permits were not renewed, 700 Wai-Wai people followed them to Brazil. Some 150 Wai-Wai people left in Guyana fell under

294-435: The Wai-Wai, the relationship between a father and daughter lends a sense of control to the father over his daughter and son-in-law. A village size is the indication of the level of political strength and riches, and thus heavily reliant on the women in the community. Mansiya is marriage. For women, marriage cannot take place until after women have reached their first menses at around age thirteen. Most women are married by

315-491: The age of seventeen. The yaskomo of the Waiwai, also called a medicine man or shaman in literature, is believed to be able to perform a soul flight . The soul flight can serve several functions: Thus, a yaskomo is believed to be able to reach sky, earth, water, in short, every element. Western influence has severely changed their traditional culture and religion. Many have converted to Christianity. In 1949, many of

336-723: The exception of Christianity which was introduced to them in the late 1950s. The Umana Yana in Georgetown, Guyana , takes its name from the Wai-Wai for "meeting place". The explorer, Sir Robert Schomburgk , may have been the first western to have contact with the Wai-Wai in December 1837. He found one village on a tributary of the Essequebo river, along with two others on the Mapuera River in Brazil . Schomburgk describes

357-610: The hammocks are woven on square hammock frames. Their other artistic skills include pottery, woven combs, bone flutes, and other crafts. Consuming primate meat is a source of pride for Waiwai, distinguishing them as “‘true’ forest people” and making them distinct from most other indigenous groups in Guyana. Primate hunting can be a way to demonstrate masculinity and improve chances of betrothal. Various primate body parts have different non-game uses, from saki tail dusters to bone arrow points. The Wai Wai have an affinity for musical instruments such as guitars, flutes, and hand drums. Often

378-762: The headwaters of the Essequibo River . There are approximately 200 Wai-wai in Guyana, region of the country known as Kanashen . It is also a community-owned conservation area. There are about 2,000 Wai-wai in Brazil, and they mostly reside in Terra Indígena Wai-wai, Terra Indígena Trombetas-Mapuera, and Terra Indígena Nhamundá-Mapuera. These are located mainly in the northern states of Roraima and Pará. Settlements include: Mapuera in Pará and Jatapu-zine, Catual, Cobra, Pequeno Paraíso in Roraima. Though

399-632: The influence of Christian Brethren Bible Outreach. There are several thousand speakers of the Wai Wai language , though the Carib-speaking Wai Wai Indians have close affinities to another Amazonian group known as the Arara . The Wai Wai have a history of intermarriage with other indigenous groups who speak similar languages. Wai-wai people are split between modern day Guyana and Brazil ( Roraima ). The Wai-Wai people in

420-574: The plants and animals are valuable to the Wai-Wai's everyday life. The Wai-Wai people have said that the rainforest produces the air they breathe, keeps soil in place as not to clog waterways, provides foods (nuts, fruit, fresh fish), is a source for natural medicines, and many more. The Konashen Indigenous District in Southern Guyana is the headwaters of the Essequibo River. This river remains Guyana's main source for water, and drains

441-461: The term shaman , has been criticized by Native Americans, as well as other specialists in the fields of religion and anthropology. While non-Native anthropologists often use the term shaman for Indigenous healers worldwide, including the Americas, shaman is the specific name for a spiritual mediator from the Tungusic peoples of Siberia , which has been adopted by some Inuit communities but

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