Mythology, Spirituality, and History [Paperback]

The Arakmbut are an indigenous people who live in the Madre de Dios region of thesoutheastern Peruvian rain forest. Since their first encounters with missionaries in the 1950s,they have shown resilience and a determination to affirm their identity in the face of many difficulties. During the last fifteen years, Arakmbut survival has been under threat from a goldrush that has attracted hundreds of colonists onto their territories. This trilogy of books traces the ways in which the Arakmbut overcome the dangers that surround them: their mythology and cultural strength; their social flexibility; and their capacity to incorporate non-indigenous concepts and activities into their defence strategies. Each area is punctuated by the constant presence of the invisible spirit, which provides a seamless theme connecting the books to each other.

Following the Arakmbuts' recommendation, the author uses their three greatest myths to introduce social, cultural and historical aspects of their lives. He ends with a discussion of the relationship between myth and history showing how the Arakmbut recreate their myths at the dramatic moments of their history.

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List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Maps
General Preface
Preface

Introduction:The Harakmbut

PART I

Preface:Myth and Relativity
Chapter 1.Death and Salvation: The Story of Wanamey
Chapter 2.Gender: Social and Cosmological Exchange
Chapter 3.Time through Space: House and Community
Chapter 4.Descent of Man and Exchange of Women

PART II

Preface:Nature and Potentiality
Chapter 5.The Defeat of Death: The Story of Marinke
Chapter 6.Keeping Body and Soul Together