Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Traditional Guaranyi house

Most Guaranyi people no longer live traditionally. Instead they live with a mix of their own culture and the modern world. The people we met all wore Western clothes, but also had traditional jewelry and headbands. The girls wore flip-flops and the boys wore sneakers without socks. We were able to see one if their traditional houses, but it was purpose-built to show to visitors. Hosting visitors and "selling" their culture is a way that many Guaranyi communities can afford to support themselves without having to move to cities and take regular jobs. So selling their culture is oddly a way of being able to preserve parts of their culture. It was interesting to see the juxtaposition of old and new.

Traditional homes are built with thin branches to let the air and light through. They have roofing made of grass and dried banana leaves. They are about 3 meters square, and a short adult can stand up in the center. They were used mostly just for sleeping. There is a tall narrow table built outside the door, where tools and utensils are kept. The Guaranyi would move with a particular area, so the traditional houses were not meant to be permanent.

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