Ayoreo facts for kids
Ayoreo Groups in Voluntary Isolation
|
|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 4,789 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Paraguay |
2,600 |
 Bolivia |
2,189 |
| Languages | |
| Ayoreo • Spanish | |
| Religion | |
| Traditional Religion • Christianity | |
The Ayoreo people are an indigenous people of the Gran Chaco region in South America. They live in an area that stretches across parts of Bolivia and Paraguay. This land is surrounded by the Paraguay, Pilcomayo, Parapetí, and Grande Rivers.
There are about 5,600 Ayoreo people in total. Around 3,000 live in Bolivia, and 2,600 live in Paraguay. For a long time, the Ayoreo were nomadic hunter-gatherers. This means they moved from place to place to find food. But in the 1900s, most Ayoreo people settled down in one place. This happened because of missionaries who worked with them.
A small number of Ayoreo people still live without contact with the outside world. These uncontacted groups face dangers from deforestation and losing their traditional lands.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The Ayoreo people are known by many names. Some of these include Ayoré, Ayoreode, Moro, and Zapocó. In their own language, "Ayoreo" means "true people." The word "Ayoreode" means "human beings."
They speak the Ayoreo language. This language is part of a small group called Zamucoan. It is spoken in Paraguay and Bolivia. Books like a grammar and a dictionary have been written for the language. About 20% of the Ayoreo people can read and write. Tsiracua is a different way of speaking the Ayoreo language, like a dialect.
Ayoreo History
The Ayoreo first met outsiders in the 1720s. This was when Jesuit missionaries started a mission called San Ignacio Zamuco. They wanted to teach the Ayoreo about Catholicism. But the mission closed in the 1740s, and the Ayoreo were left alone for many years.
In the 1900s, things changed. The Chaco War (1932-1935) brought many soldiers into their territory. This also brought new diseases. During this time, the Ayoreo people faced great danger and violence. Some Ayoreo children were taken from their families. For example, a twelve-year-old named Iquebi was taken to be put in an exhibit. Also, a railroad was built in their land, making it easier for outsiders to reach them.
Christian missionaries began to contact the Ayoreo again in the late 1940s. They worked with groups in both Bolivia and Paraguay. These missionaries included Catholic, Mennonite, and Evangelical groups. In the late 1950s, missionaries encouraged the Ayoreo to leave their traditional ways. They moved them from their lands to mission stations. After this, their land was often bought for cattle farming. The missionaries also accidentally brought diseases like measles, which caused many Ayoreo people to get sick and die.
At the mission stations, the Ayoreo had to change their way of life. They had to adopt a sedentary lifestyle, meaning they stayed in one place. They also had to give up parts of their culture. This included their traditional religion, how they looked, their music, and their diet. Sometimes, Ayoreo people who had settled at the missions were asked to find uncontacted Ayoreo in the forest. They would then try to convince them to settle down and convert. This led to protests from other groups. In one event in 1986, a search for uncontacted Ayoreo turned violent, and five people died.
Ayoreo Culture
The Ayoreo people are divided into seven large family groups, called clans. Each clan has a special last name. The Ayoreo feel a very strong connection to Eami, which is the name for their shared territory.
They are traditionally nomadic hunter-gatherers. This means they move around to hunt animals and gather plants for food. But during the rainy season, they also plant small amounts of crops. These crops include corn, beans, and squash. They hunt animals like anteaters, pigs, tortoises, and monkeys in the forest. They also collect honey from the Quebecois tree.
The Ayoreo also have a form of shamanism. Shamans are spiritual leaders who can be either male or female. They are known as disdain. Chiefs, called asutes, are always men. They are chosen based on their skills in hunting or in battle. Music is a very important part of Ayoreo culture. Songs are passed down from older generations to younger ones. Ayoreo people usually have only one marriage partner at a time.
Traditionally, the Ayoreo were organized into more than 50 small, independent groups. One well-known group is the Totobiegosode. Their name means "people from the place where collared peccaries ate their gardens." Other groups include the Garaigosode (those who live in the lowlands) and the Tacheigosode (the people from the region of abundant agouti).
Ayoreo in Contact
Ayoreo people who live in contact with the outside world often face challenges. They struggle with poverty and unfair treatment, especially in cities. There are not many jobs available for them. Many work as day laborers in construction or gardening. Young Ayoreo people have few chances for a better future. Because of this, scholarships are needed to help them get an education. The hope is that education will help them escape poverty.
The Ayoreo often live together in settlements. One example is the Degüi Community in Santa Cruz. However, these settlements can be like slums, with poor living conditions. Houses might be made of mud and cane. Ayoreo people also face unfair treatment in healthcare. They often have to wait a very long time to see a doctor. This can make them avoid seeking medical help when they need it. In 2010, a group of Ayoreo people decided to go back to their traditional land. They wanted to live a traditional lifestyle again. Other groups might follow their example.
Ayoreo in Voluntary Isolation
Today, there are about 100 uncontacted Ayoreo people. They live in 6 to 7 different groups. One of these is the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode. They are the only uncontacted tribes in South America who do not live in the Amazon.
Three of these groups live in the northern part of the Gran Chaco. This is near the border of Bolivia and Paraguay. They are found in areas like Médanos del Chaco National Park and Defensores del Chaco National Park. The other groups are in the southern part of their territory.
An organization called UNAP (Unión Nativa Ayoreo del Paraguay) lists six main dangers for Ayoreo groups living in isolation:
- Cattle farming and deforestation: This often happens illegally. It destroys their land and resources like water. It also increases the chance of unwanted contact.
- Selling Ayoreo land: Laws say the Ayoreo have rights to their land. But about eight million hectares of their land have still been given away or sold.
- Searching for oil: Oil testing on Ayoreo land disturbs the people. It risks contact and goes against their rights to their land.
- Missionaries seeking contact: Missionaries trying to reach the Ayoreo risk spreading diseases. This also goes against laws that protect indigenous peoples from contact.
- Illegal collection of resources: Taking resources from their land means the Ayoreo have less of what they need to survive. It also risks contact.
- Entering their territory without permission: When groups enter Ayoreo land without permission, it creates a big risk of contact. It can also force the Ayoreo to move from their homes.
The Areguede’urasade Group
In 2004, seventeen Ayoreo-Totobiegosode people made contact with outsiders. This happened because of a lot of deforestation in their territory. This group called themselves Areguede’urasade. This means "the band of Areguede."
When they were living in the forest, they tried hard to avoid contact. They had to run away from any signs of outsiders. They even used whistles to talk to each other so they wouldn't be heard. Sometimes, they had to camp in small patches of forest left around cattle farms.
The Areguede’urasade group was contacted by another group of Totobiegosode. These were people who had settled down in 1986. When the two groups joined, the Areguede’urasade were pressured to give up their culture. They were also encouraged to convert to Christianity. They faced difficult conditions after contact, and many had serious health problems.
Political Representation
In Bolivia, the Ayoreo people are represented by an organization called CANOB. This stands for Central Ayorea Nativa del Oriente Boliviano. CANOB has its main office in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. They hold land titles for several Ayoreo communities.
In Paraguay, an Ayoreo organization called UNAP was started in 2002. UNAP stands for Unión Nativa Ayoreo del Paraguay. Its main office is near the Campo Loro and Ebetogué regions. Former UNAP presidents, Mateo Sobode Chiquenoi and Yacamái Chiquenoi, have written to protect isolated Ayoreo groups. They have also shared their own personal stories. Because Ayoreo territory is in both Bolivia and Paraguay, CANOB and UNAP have held meetings together.
The Totobiegosode group has its own organization called OPIT. This stands for Organización Payipie Ichadie Totobiegosode. There is also an organization for Ayoreo communities near the Paraguay River. It is called Consejo de Líderes de Alto Paraguay.
Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) support Ayoreo groups. These include APCOB and GAT (Gente, Ambiente, Territorio). GAT works with OPIT. UNAP and another NGO called Iniciativa Amotocodie (IA) watch over Ayoreo territory. They look for signs of isolated groups, like holes cut in trees to collect honey.
Images for kids
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Ayoreo Groups in Voluntary Isolation
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Ayoreo parrot feather ornament, AMNH
See also
In Spanish: Ayoreos para niños
