Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau

The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau are an indigenous people of Brazil,^[3] living in the state of Rondônia.

Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau

Jupaú
Total population
152[1] (November 2023)
Regions with significant populations
Brazil ( Rondônia)
Languages
Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau language[2]
Religion
Animism

They live in six villages on the borders of the Uru-Eu-Uaw-Uaw Indigenous Territory, which is shared by two other contacted groups, the Amondawa and Uru Pa In, the latter who speak a Chapacuran language, as well as the Jurureí, Parakua, and two uncontacted tribes whose names are not known.^[4]

Name

The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau people call themselves Jupaú. They are also (mistakenly) known as the Amondauas, Bocas-negras, Bocas-pretas, Cabeça-vermelha, Cautários, Sotérios, Urupain,^[1] as well as Jupaú, Black-Mouths, Red-Heads, Urueu-Wau-Wau.^[5]

History

The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau came into contact with non-Natives, specifically the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI) in 1981.^[5] The subsequent introduction of diseases, and violent attacks by outsiders, caused a drastic decrease in population from the initially-estimated count of fewer than 1,000.^[5]

Rubber harvesters disputed FUNAI's demarcation of Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau lands. In 1991, one of the world's largest known tin deposits was discovered in Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau lands.^[5]

After 1993 their population began increasing again.^[4] The Uru-Eu-Uaw-Uaw Indigenous Territory was established by the Brazilian government to protect the tribes and only Indians can legally live in the indigenous territory; however, loggers and miners have regularly invaded their lands.^[6] In the 2022 documentary The Territory, released by National Geographic, Bitaté, an Indigenous leader of the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau, stated the population was approximately 180.^[7]

Missionaries are active among the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau, and an NGO called Kanindé is trying to fight outside influences and assimilationists on the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau.^[5]

Language

Main article: Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau language

Culture

The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau are hunter-gatherers. They use a poison made from tree bark on their arrows when hunting tapir and other game. They are known for their distinctive tattoos around their mouths made from genipapo, a black vegetal dye.^[6]

See also

• Friends of Peoples Close to Nature, an NGO human rights organization that has worked with the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau
• Ten Thousand Years Older, 2002 documentary film about the tribes.
• The Territory, a 2022 documentary, tells the story of these people's struggle to defend their existence from encroaching land grabbers and deforestation.