ETHAM 029663

Headdress worn on the back of the head

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029663
Diadem worn on the back of the head
Brazil, Tocantins State, Rio Araguaya, Bananal Island
Karajá Javaé. Late 19th-early 20th century
Feather, palm leaves buriti, cotton
Gift of Frédéric Dusendschön in 1960; formerly in the collection of Oscar Dusendschön
MEG Inv. ETHAM 029663
Geolocate the object
Le mythe de la naissance de la lumière chez les Karaja

La coiffe Raheto s’explique par le mythe de l’arrivée de la lumière chez les Karajá. Sa rangée de plumes noires représente la Grande Étoile, celle de plumes blanches, la Lune, et ses rayons périphériques, le Soleil. Le mythe raconte que Mareiko, l’épouse de Kanaxiwe, fut surprise par l'obscurité et se blessa. Se plaignant à son mari qu’il ne donnait pas assez de lumière aux Karajá, celui-ci s’en fut honteux dans la forêt et se donna la mort. Mais lorsque le vautour Iolò se posa sur son corps, Kanaxiwe – qui n’était pas vraiment mort - l’attrapa, lui ordonnant de lui donner la lumière. Ioló rapporta ses diadèmes Grande Étoile et Lune, mais Kanaxiwe en trouva la lumière trop faible. Le vautour apporta alors son diadème Soleil et Kanaxiwe fut satisfait.

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Registres_inventaire_original/Registre_13_028522_030591.pdf

 

Amazonia

"Amazonia" designates the Amazonian world, to be more precise a body of peoples distinguished by a specific culture which anthropologists also call "lowland societies" as opposed to those of the Andine world. Some of the peoples whose objects are shown here live outside the Amazon hydrographic basin. Others do not - or no longer - live in the humid tropical Amazonian forest but in savannah or dry forest ecosystems.

The birth of light – a Karajá myth

The headdress or raheto can be explained by the myth of the arrival of light among the Karajá. Its row of black feathers represents the Great Star, that of white feathers the Moon and the outer feathers, the Sun. The myth tells how Mareiko, the wife of Kanaxiwe, was caught unawares by darkness and injured herself. When she complained to her husband that he did not give sufficient light to the Karajá, he fled into the forest ashamed and killed himself. But when the vulture Iolò alighted on his body, Kanaxiwe – who was not really dead - caught it and ordered it to give him light. Iolò brought him his diadems, the Great Star and the Moon, but Kanaxiwe found their light too dim. So the vulture brought him his diadem the Sun and Kanaxiwe was satisfied.

Bibliograpy

  • SCHOEPF, Daniel. L'art de la plume. Brésil. Catalogue d'exposition. Genève: Musée d’ethnographie / Paris: Museum National d'Histoire naturelle., 94
  • Wastiau, Boris. 2016. Amazonie. Le chamane et la pensée de la forêt. Paris: Somogy, Genève: MEG, p. 125, MEG AM 619 WAS

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