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Xingu Indian Tribes
Flute Ritual
Xingu Indian tribes performing flute ritual. Various native tribes inhabit
the Xingu Indigenous National Park in Mato Gross, Brazil. Among the fourteen
different tribes are the Kamayurá, Kaiabi, Yudjá, Aweti, Mehinako, Wauja,
Yawalapiti, Ikpeng, Kalapalo, Kuikuro, Matipu, Nahukwá, Suyá, and Trumai.
Incredibly, these indigenous tribes speak languages from four different
language families, but retain similar cultures and perform similar rituals.
At present, approximately 3000 individuals live in the Parque Indígena do
Xingu (Xingu Indigenous Park) in 32 villages. It is thought that their
numbers dwindled to fewer than 1000 individuals during the 1950's due to
foreign diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and malaria.
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