ABSTRACT
Most of the data analysed in this chapter were collected in the Kayapó village of Gorotire, which was the base camp for this 14-month project because of its accessibility and the presence of some bilingual (Kayapó and Portuguese) Indians. Gorotire was originally established as an ‘attraction’ village that was well-stocked with medicines and trade items to ‘attract’ unpacified Kayapó groups. As a result, the Gorotire population is a heterogeneous group. Nearly 20 per cent of the village are Xikrin (a related Northern Kayapó group), one per cent are non-Kayapó (originally children captured during raids and raised as Kayapó), and ten per cent have immigrated to Gorotire from other Kayapó groups within the past five years. This lends to Gorotire a ‘syncretic’ air: the tribal elders are often heard arguing over whose version of a story or ceremony is the ‘proper’ one. Thus it should not be assumed that Gorotire is a village that agrees even upon its own lore and mythology. Certain aspects of Kayapó culture, however, are more rigidly defined, or, if variation does occur, it is in a highly predictable manner. This chapter deals with cultural phenomena that conform to this pattern: the principles underlying the Kayapó entomological classification system.
