Native Amazonians have lived
here for over 20,000 years. Though there are many different tribes spread
along the Amazon, they all have developed their own ways of life in harmony
with nature. They believe in sharing the hunt and the food they gather.
Most of them believe that they are reborn through their grandchildren, though
rules for marriage vary much. They also traditionally live in communal or
family houses made from materials such as tree bark and palm leave fronds.
Dressing up in various cermonial costumes, they have various festivals and
ceremonies during the year to celebrate harvests or their gods.
In this open culture, people help each other to make it through life. Sharing
is key to survival, as the Amazon does not tolerate misers. Though tribes
do have leaders and sometimes used to engage in warfare, this was never
for territory, but merely to right wrongs done (or imagined) and as excercises
in combat. Nonetheless, this is starkly different from the culture that
invaded the Amazon just a few hundred years ago, ending the centuries-long
peace with nature and throwing the balance askew...
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