Uru-I-Wau-Wau accomplish the young girl/*s party

Moments before the marriage the young girl Deí is decorated with bracelets and necklaces

Jaru-RO – The Indians of the race Uru-I-Wau-Wau met on the 10th, 11th and 12th of May, to participate in two parties of the young girl. The ceremonial happens whenever an Indian girl, age between 10 and 13 years, leaves the childhood to become an adult. Most of the time the girl leaves the party already married.

The girl starts to stay most of the time in the hut, at least one week before the party, in this period she receives the parents’ orientations on the new phase of her life. One day before, the mother takes her a bath with babassu oil, in purification sign. The preparations to the party also begin in the previous day, when the Indians of the village and their guests leave to look for hunt, fish, cassava, chestnut and firewood.

At 3 o’clock in the morning everybody who is in the village are called to help to peel chestnuts. At 6 o’clock, the parents decorate the girl with bracelets and necklaces and they sing for her, guiding her about her new responsibilities. When there is not marriage, the mother takes the girl another bath and soon she begins to work, preparing the food for the party.

Surprise marriage

According to the oldest Indians of the village, who decides on the marriages are the youths’ parents. The fiancé can be chosen in advance or moments before the marriage.

The young girl’s party Deí, 11 years old, of the Village Alto Jaru, got married at the end. She and the youth Buri were informed that would get married in the moment of the ceremony. In silence they both accepted the relatives’ decision and accomplished the matrimonial rituals.

Lying and covered in the hammock, Deí and Buri heard the advices of the oldest, who guided them about the responsibilities of the marriage. Then they were authorized to leave the hut. She with a bucket in hand and he with arrows. Since then the party went on, while Deí assumed a married woman’s duties and started to cook for the relatives and guests.

Cultural valorization

The members of the Association of Defense Ethno-ambient kanindé, highlighted the importance of the party for the cultural valorization of the People Uru-I-Wau-Wau. “We are here as guests to show that we agree with those manifestations and that it is important not only for them, but also for us, that are from another culture “, said the historiographer Ivaneide Bandeira Cardoso.

According to anthropologist, Samuel Cruz the Uru-I-Wau-Wau stopped doing their cultural manifestations for a great time, but now they are retaking this practice, valuing their own culture. “That will certainty have reflexes in their relationship with the territory”, he said. Samuel also highlighted the importance of the party in the sense of gathering the residents of the neighboring villages, strengthening the relationships.