Danzando fakariya: los bailes uitotos como modelo de organización social en la Amazonía

Abstract

Despite numerous and significant research, knowledge of Amazonian people rites is still superficial and non-cohesive. There are few comparative studies reporting such practices even if Amazonian rituals often include models of symbolic exchange at a regional level. For this reason, this article wants to examine the “Yaukɨ balls” (balls of fruit), one of the most demanding and shared rituals in the Middle Caquetá region. This ceremony is linked to other myths and rituals from the Uitoto and other ethnic groups in the region. Therefore, to better understand how regional relations materialize in the context of the Uitoto’s dances, we will describe the way in which two of the peoples of the region —Miraña and Yagua— define their ties with the Uitoto. Then, by using a relational and choreographic analysis we will approach one of the components of the Yuakɨ balls: Fakariya’s dances. The study of these aspects will demonstrate that regardless of the strong changes experience by the peoples of the region, they remain determined by the same symbolic models that structure their rites.

Keywords

• inter-ethnic contact
• ritual dances
• predation
• potential affinity