Sociocultural Exchanges Examine the impact of cultural dilution on one indigenous and remote society through the influence of international interactions.

1. The Xingu People of the Amazon Basin
by Joana Amoa-Awuah
bbc.com

2. Background
They are found in the Xingu
National Park and Indigenous
People's Reserve.
The Xingu people represent 15
tribes and all four of Brazil's
indigenous groups.
In the late 19th century the
population was at 3000. It fell in
the mid 20th century to 1000
and is presently hovering
around 3000.
Guiness, pg. 177

3. Customs of
the Xingu
They live in traditional long houses.
At dawn each day they have their baths in near by
lagoons.
They fish using hooks and lines and by spear-fishing,
and navigate local creeks with traditional canoes.
They play urua bamboo flutes and engage in Huka-
huka wrestling for entertainment.
montrealgazette.comalamy.commedium.com

4. Guiness, pg. 177
Xingu longhouse with
Xingu people engaged
in traditional Huka-
huka wrestling.

5. smugbug.com
Xingu children having
a playful bath.

6. montrealgazette.com
"Yawalapiti youth chief
Anuia (front) leads a
dance in the Xingu
National Park, Mato
Grosso State, May 7,
2012."
( montrealgazette.com)

7. montrealgazette.com
Tribes people playing urua
bamboo flutes.

8. montrealgazette.com
Tribe children attempt to
spear fish in the Xingu
National Park.

9. montrealgazette.com
"A Yawalapiti man uses
branches from the timbo
plant to spread natural
toxins to paralyse fish and
capture them by hand in
the Xingu National Park,
Mato Grosso State, May 7,
2012."
(montrealgazette.com)

10. Impacts of Cultural
Diffusion on the Xingu
Television sets have become common
features of Xingu longhouses. This has
led to their awareness of modern
consumer society.
The Xingu now appreciate the
usefulness of products such as solar
panels, which are a source of energy
for their water pumps, radio transmitters and TVs.
Some communities in the park provide
accommodation for tourist groups, which is
proving to be a significant source of income.
Modern dress is now a part of daily life.
Cash bought goods have created friction and
jealousy among the Xingu.
Football has spread rapidly in popularity in the
Park.
montrealgazette.com

11. montrealgazette.com
"An aerial view of a
portion of the Xingu
National Park that is
deforested from
agriculture and
logging is seen in
Mato Grosso State,
May 9, 2012."
(montrealgazette.com)

12. Xingu children being
formally educated in
the classroom setting.

13. medium.com
.
"Students from ten
ethnic groups were
trained to install and
maintain the solar
panels in the Xingu
villages. Between 80
and 90 villages will
benefit from the
project."
(medium.com)

14. The Belo
Monte Dam
Brazil is rapidly developing economically, as
such, it demands new and stable sources of
energy.
Construction began in 2011 although plans to
do so were propagated as early as 1975.
Would be the second largest HEP dam (at 11,
233 megawatts) in Brazil and fourth largest in
the world.
Impacts on the Xingu
Cultural heritage of the people will be lost.
Fish stocks would be decimated.
Lowering the water table would affect
agricultural production by the indigenous
and non-indigenous farmers.
Some Xingu would be forced to relocate
and compete with migrants to make a ends
meet.

15. Thank you.

16. Guinness, Paul. Geography for the IB Diploma, Global Interactions. Cambridge University press,
2011.
Socioambiental, Instituto. “Solar Xingu – Social Environmental Stories – Medium.” Medium, Social
Environmental Stories, 19 Dec. 2016. 4 Nov 2017. medium.com/social-environmental-
stories/solar-xingu-a915c6cec347.
Bibliography
Text Cited
Images Cited
Bowater, Donna. “Helping Brazil's tribal groups benefit more from tourism.” BBC News, BBC, 22
Jan. 2015. 4 Nov. 2017. www.bbc.com/news/business-30897076.
Guinness, Paul. Geography for the IB Diploma, Global Interactions. Cambridge University press,
2011.
Marcelino, REUTERS/Ueslei. “Photos: The Yawalapiti tribe of Brazil.” Www.montrealgazette.com,
www.montrealgazette.com/health/sexual-health/Alberta sees disturbing jump syphilis
infections/2632748/Alberta still struggling with large syphilis caseload/2285734/Photos Yawalapiti
tribe Brazil/6626055/story.html.

17. “Gisele Bundchen and Leonardo DiCaprio with Xingu Indians in the Amazon.” Getty Images. 4
Nov. 2017. www.gettyimages.co.uk/event/gisele-bundchen-and-leonardo-dicaprio-with-xingu-
indians-in-the-amazon-75211625.
Socioambiental, Instituto. “Solar Xingu – Social Environmental Stories – Medium.” Medium, Social
Environmental Stories, 19 Dec. 2016. 4 Nov 2017. medium.com/social-environmental-
stories/solar-xingu-a915c6cec347.