The Yakairiti spirits are subterranean deities that are worshiped by the Enawene Nawe tribes, originally from the southern Amazon, specifically from a province called Mato Grosso, Brazil. This South American ethnic group worships the yakairiti spirits for seven months during drought, in order to ensure, according to their ideology, the cosmic and social order of civilization.
From fishing expeditions, flowers and food offerings, as well as dance rituals, the Enawene Nawe are divided into clans in order to properly and equally honor the yakairiti in each ceremonial ritual, and one of the most important is the Yaokwa.
The Yaokwa is a rite where culture, society and Mother Nature are intertwined, since they are factors that, according with Enawene Nawe beliefs, may seem different, but they actually cannot even be separated from one another.
Honoring the Yakairiti demands preparation and planning, since it’s an important modern event. Each clan has different tasks during the honor ceremonies, and participants change take turns performing their tasks. While one group is in a maritime expedition, another is making offerings of food, rock salt ornaments and finally, the interpretation of different dances and religious songs.
Within Aboriginal beliefs, the Yaokwa underlies an important cultural trait that is considered by experts as a theoretical and practical mix of various branches of the current development, including handicrafts, with the manufacturing of costumes, tools, and musical instruments; food processing, which guarantees food for the offerings; and engineering, with the construction of new houses and dikes. Everything is done to honor the Yakairiti, who are considered the owners of the fish and salt.
However, besides the ancient value that is protected as a belief, Yaokwa is a determining factor for the continuity of biodiversity and ecological protection of abundance in the Amazon, according to the announcement by the Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in November 2011.
In a statement, representatives of the committee noted that “Yaokwa rite and the local biodiversity it celebrates represent an extremely delicate and fragile ecosystem that depends directly on its conservation.” Yaokwa has been facing danger due to deforestation and mining, and among the safeguard measures, it was included as an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
It is an illustration of cultural biodiversity and permanent respect that Aboriginal people have shown for the nature. Yakairiti rite also shows how indigenous people have always prioritized social wellbeing instead of seeing themselves as individuals. They believe that living as a group is a treasure they must protect, a value to exalt and an example to be followed by other societies that consider themselves modern.
ALFA