The Waodani people are very interested in the growing and maturation aspect of nature and link it to their own development. They observe the way trees grow, mature
and reproduce and associate it with the way we grow. The
canopy trees of the rain forest are the most respected due to
the fact that they take a long time to grow and become the tallest, most
mature trees. If not under the right conditions these trees can stay in
an immature state for a long time.
Another aspect of these trees is their leaves that have different colors such as red, slightly pink or very pale green when young. When they become adult trees their leaves turn a uniform green. The rapid growth of some plants are used to encourage the development of toddlers. As they grow older, children are encouraged to become independent. Once they reach adolescence, a ritual intervention is considered necessary to make them ready to marry. Included in this ritual is the plugging of the earlobes.
The Waodani live in close knit hunting and
gathering groups consisting of men and women, practicing endogamy, the
marriage between people of the same tribal group or social unit in homes of 10 to 35 members typically composed of an older couple, their married daughters and unmarried children. These residential units, although autonomous and dispersed maintain close relations with two or three others, with which they form strong alliances.
Source:
The Growth of Family Trees: Understanding Huaorani Perceptions of the Forest
Author(s): Laura Rival
Source: Man, New Series, Vol. 28, No. 4 (Dec., 1993), pp. 635-652
Reflection:
I find the linking of nature and humans point very interesting because
indigenous communities like the Waodani find an explanation for many
things using our natural world as comparison. Most people where I live take nature for granted or see it as unimportant. When looking to find
inspiration people often find themselves going out and observing
nature at work.
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