Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
dominate others were known as ayore poitade , or worthless men. In other
words, elders recounted a world composed of two countervailing forces
that were inseparable but often pitted against one another: the moral
limits imposed by an ecology of metaphysical forces, and the individ-
ual human drive to status, dominance, and strength. It was, of course,
nearly certain that this theory of immanence arose as a direct response
to colonial violence in the last century or so. Regardless, the world—past
and present— appeared before Totobiegosode contact survivors in these
terms.
This agonistic sense of being was explicitly focused on the body as
well as the soul. Sentiments were embodied moral states that reflected
and created an individual's position of strength in relation to this meta-
physical ecology. Ayoreo developed an extensive vocabulary to describe
the bodily seats of specific emotions. Such feelings were divided into
two classes: those associated with the pajei , or generic insides, and those
associated with the agute , or gallbladder. In the first class were positive
and generative feelings. These included pajei sereringane , “calm insides,”
or peace and relaxation; pajei chietaringuei , “thick insides,” or joy and
happiness ; pajei dotaningai , “fevered or heated insides,” or anger; pajei
omi , “beautiful insides,” or peaceful and strong. Feelings associated with
actions of the gallbladder were often negative and destructive. These in-
cluded -ajuque agute , “to cut the gallbladder,” for fear or fright; agute cho
jora , “the gallbladder resembles its companion,” for having a bad feeling
of unease or guilt; cucha agute , “gallbladder thing,” for a bitter feeling;
agute cho tucutuguji jmainie , “the gallbladder is not firmly planted, wob-
bly or pliable,” for being in the throes of panicked terror; agute tutaji
jmainie , “the gallbladder is moving away,” for being upset or frightened
by an event. Someone who was very strong or beautiful may inspire the
sensation of pagute tutubai , “a painfully full gallbladder,” in those who
feel inferior. In other words, this was a system in which moral virtues (in-
cluding domination), metaphysical forces, social sentiments, and bodily
capacities were causally intertwined.
Totobiegosode turned to these theories of being to interpret the process
of leaving the forest world of Erami and becoming New People in Cojñone-
Gari . The former Areguede'urasade were taught that Dupade , the Christian
God, and his helper spirits controlled life and agency. “It is from Dupade
that all strength and health now comes.” While the puyaque prohibi-
tions established by Asojná and other spirits had made past life in Erami
possible, those very limits were resignified as dangerously immoral and
antisocial in Cojñone-Gari . Indeed, the moral human of the past could
Search WWH ::




Custom Search