Ayoreo people

Ayoreo is the name of an indigenous ethnic group that lives in northwestern Paraguay and south-eastern Bolivia. In Paraguay, they are also referred to as morotocós or moros, Corazo or kursu. Ayoreo is the self-designation of living in the northern Gran Chaco on the border groups, whose total number is estimated at about 4,000. The language of the Ayoreo belongs to the family of Zamuco. Until the mid-20th century they inhabited an area of ​​about 300,000 sq km area between the Río Paraguay, Río Pilcomayo, Río Parapeti and Río Grande.

Groups in Bolivia and Paraguay

In Bolivia, a distinction is ten groups, namely Zapocó, Poza Verde, Puesto Paz, Guidai Ichai, Santa Teresita, Tobita, urucú, Motacú, Rincón del Tigre, and Belen in the province of Germán Busch and the province of Chiquitos in the department of Santa Cruz. There are approximately 1,700 people.

In Paraguay, there are three groups, namely the Guidaygosode - an existing only since the 1950s merger of various, living in the southern Chaco Central Local groups - the Garaygosode and the Totobiegosode. They live in 15 villages in the northwestern department of Boqueron and Departamento Alto Paraguay. Only the group of Totobiegosode lives not, like the others, of agriculture and fishing, but follows their traditional way of life. A small portion - maximum 40 people - Ayoreo Totobiegosode still lives without access to the rest of society and is one of the Isolated peoples.

The word Totobiegosode means " people of the place of wild boar " and describes the most isolated group of Ayoreo. Even today they still avoid contact with strangers. The Totobiegosode are hunters and gatherers. One of their rituals is the asojna ritual, which begins when the Nighthawk border for the first time and thus heralds the rainy season. Thus begins a time of celebration. According to Survival International, the Ayoreo Totobiegosode are now considered endangered indigenous peoples of the world.

History

The first Europeans took 1,537 contact with some Ayoreo, when an expedition led by Juan de Ayolas († 1537 ) touched their territory. The Jesuits built the mission of San Ignacio Zamuco ( 1724-1745 ).

Mennonites took in the 1940s on contact with the Ayoreo, some settled in their environment. The Protestant New Tribes Mission ( Misión Nuevas Tribus ) went here from 1979 to 1986, however ruthless ago, and it came to forced missions.

Beginning of the 21st century invaded ranchers before in the forest areas, which in turn are increasingly squeezing of the soybean industry. The environmental organization Iniciativa Amotocodie now coordinated the purchase of land for the Ayoreo. In it, 13 villages have come together in Paraguay, representing 95 percent of the Ayoreo in the country. They guarantee the traditional use of the gradually acquired land. They are supported by the charity Save the Rainforest in Hamburg. In December 2009, the Ayoreo had received 1,800 ha, 17 April 2010, the club was able to Ayoreo overwrite an additional 2,000 ha of rainforest, whose purchase was made possible through private donations. 1,200 ha are to follow. A total of 15,538 ha of them have already been sent.