2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`

This work is liccnscd undcr |hc Crca|ivc Commons | Lduardo Vivciros dc Cas|ro.
A||ribu|ion-NonCommcrcial-NoDcrivs `.0 Inpor|cd. ISSN 2049-1115 (Onlinci





Immancncc and lcar
S|rancr-cvcn|s and subcc|s in Amazonia


Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO, Muscu Nacional,
Inivcrsidadc Icdcral do Rio dc Janciro

Transla|cd bv David Rodcrs. Addi|ions |o |hc
oriinal |ransla|cd bv Iraccma Dullcv


This ar|iclc proposcs |o cxplorc |hc poli|ical corrcla|cs ol Amazonian pcrspcc|ival
on|oloics. Irom a Taulipan mv|hical narra|ivc abou| |hc oriin ol |hc anus (as |ranscribcd
bv Koch-Grnbcri |o a Nambikwara cxplana|ion ol Brazilian I.D. cards (as rcpor|cd bv
Joana Millcri, Amazonian c|hnoraphv allows us |o pcrccivc how bodilv" allcc|s and
spiri|ual" cncoun|crs conspirc |o procc| a par|icular conccp|ion ol powcr, sociali|v and
|ru|h.
Kcvwords: lcar, bodv, pcrspcc|ivism, S|a|c, mc|aphvsics, Amazonia



Thins bcin |hus arrancd,
as lor |hosc who risc, in |hcir |o|ali|v,
i| is |o |hcir lu|urc nourishmcn| |hcv |urn |hc
a||cn|ion
ol |hcir azc, all ol |hcm;
and as |hc a||cn|ion ol |hcir azc is |urncd |o
|hcir lu|urc
nourishmcn|,
so |hcv arc |hosc who cxis|, all ol |hcm.
Mbv pravcr, in Picrrc Clas|rcs,
Socic|v aains| |hc s|a|c, 1989


Imainc vou arc s|andin a| |hc podium abou| |o dclivcr a public lcc|urc. Your
voicc cu|s in|o |hc silcncc and vou bcin. No momcn| is so shccr, so cxis|cn|iallv
chillin." Our collcauc Michacl Lambck opcncd an inauural lcc|urc a| |hc LSL
wi|h |hcsc words a shor| |imc ao (Lambck 2007: 19i. This si|ua|ion, and |hc lcar
|ha| consumcs us as wc lacc |hc problcm ol a bcinnin, is ovcrwhclminlv lamiliar
|o anv acadcmic, howcvcr scasoncd and howcvcr surc hc or shc mav bc ol |hc
quali|v ol |hc lcc|urc abou| |o bc dclivcrcd. Il |hc spcakcr is an an|hropolois|,
pcrhaps a| |his momcn| ano|hcr lcar a| (or oli bcinnin will comc |o mind, onc
28 | Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
si|ua|cd a| |hc ou|sc| ol |hc scqucncc ol circums|anccs |ha| lcd |o him or hcr
s|andin a| |hc podium now":
Imainc vourscll suddcnlv sc| down surroundcd bv all vour car, alonc
on a |ropical bcach closc |o a na|ivc villac, whilc |hc launch or dinhv
which has brouh| vou sails awav ou| ol sih|. (Malinowski 1922: 4i
Thc scqucncc ol circums|anccs is scll-similar-on|ocncsis rcpca|s phvlocncsis-in
|hc samc wav |ha| |his lamous imainc" ol Malinowski |akcs all ol us back |o |hc
anxic|v-riddcn ini|ial momcn|s ol our own licld rcscarch, markin |hc his|orical
ins|aura|ion ol |hc vcrv idca ol licldwork, i|s oriinarv, and hcncc radicallv
imainarv, narra|ivc momcn|.
I hihlih| |hc imainc" in |hc |wo quo|a|ions abovc bccausc bo|h convcv |hc
in|rinsic conncc|ion bc|wccn lcar, oriin and imaina|ion. As wc know, a minimal
amoun| ol imaina|ion is nccdcd |o bc alraid. Lvcn |hc so-callcd ins|inc|ivc lcars,
|hc animal lcars," arc bu| ac|s ol imaina|ion cmbcddcd in |hc c|horam ol our
spccics |hrouh a painlul oriinarv and immcmorial lcarnin, as wc havc lcarncd
lrom Iricdrich Nic|zschc and Samucl Bu|lcr. Sincc wc nccd |o lcarn, |o havc
lcarncd, |o bc alraid. Ior cxamplc, I havc rcccn|lv lcarncd |o bc alraid ol |hc lcar
|ha| o|hcrs havc ol mc whcn I manilcs| mv in|cn|ion |o cross somc ol |hc mul|iplc
lrac|al bordcrs cons|i|u|in |hc copoli|ical ccolov ol |hc prcscn|. (I am no loncr
alraid ol plancs; I am now alraid ol airpor|s.i Il |hc bordcr is, in divcrsc wavs, |hc
placc ol dancr and lcar par cxccllcncc, i| is cquallv clcar |odav |ha| |hc
con|cmporarv world is anv|hin bu| a world wi|hou| bordcrs-|hc lamous linal
lron|icr" ol S|ar Trck is |hc univcrsal molcculariza|ion ol |hc lron|icr. Crapanzano
(200`: 14i sucs|s |ha| |odav cvcrvwhcrc is a lron|icr, |ha| is, a bordcr or limi| |ha|
canno| bc crosscd. Imainc |hc lcar |ha| cons|i|u|cs livin |odav in |hc ccn|rc" ol a
world |ha| is no|hin bu| lron|icrs and |crms, horizons and closurc. Thc cnd ol |hc
world is now cvcrvwhcrc, whilc i|s |ruc ccn|rc is nowhcrc, which happcns |o bc |hc
invcrsc ol |hc classical dclini|ion ol |hc inlini|c. I| is |hus |o bc concludcd |ha| wc
arc approachin |hc an|hropoloical zcro-as a limi|.
Bu| i| is possiblc |o lauh abou| somc lcars and, cvcn morc so, abou| somc
imaina|ions. In lac|, il |hcrc is an idca |ha| can bc |houh| ol as |rulv comical
|odav wi|h i|s mix|urc ol naivc|c and prcsump|ion i| is |hc bclicl ol our immcdia|c
anccs|ors, |hc modcrns," |ha| Prorcss-|hc advanccmcn| ol |cchnolov and
scicncc, |hc rcvcla|ion ol |hc mvs|crics ol |hc cosmos and |hc oranism, |hc
cxpansion in |hc lrcc circula|ion ol |hins, pcoplc and idcas, |hc sprcad ol li|cracv
and |hc s|a|c ol law-would dissipa|c |hc pcrvasivc s|a|c ol lcar in which our morc
dis|an| anccs|ors (or our con|cmporarv prc-modcrns"i livcd. As is wcll-known,
|hcv livcd in lcar: lcar ol o|hcr humans, lcar ol na|urc, lcar ol dca|h, lcar ol |hc
dcad, lcar ol wha|cvcr is ncw, lcar ol cvcrv|hin. Thc lih| ol rcason, arrivin |o
dispcl |hc darkncss ol supcrs|i|ion and i|s imainarv |crrors, and scicncc, arrivin
|o lcsscn |hc impo|cncc ol humans in |hc lacc ol |hc rcal dancrs ol |hc world,
would linallv allow us |o a||ain a s|a|c ol salc|v and knowlcdc, a calm s|a|c ol non-
lcar. Vc would lcar no|hin bccausc wc undcrs|ood cvcrv|hin; and wha| could bc
improvcd, would bc. I| is unncccssarv |o dwcll on |hc poin| |ha| |his prophccv has
provcn |o bc rclcn|lcsslv and |raicomicallv wron.
O|hcr pcoplc`s rcal lcars ol imainarv mons|crs havc ivcn wav |o a lrih|cnin
prolilcra|ion ol imainarv lcars ol rcal mons|crs amon us. Thcsc lcars arc
imainarv" insolar as |hcv arc cncra|cd and manacd bv a ian|ic poli|ical
IMMANLNCL AND ILAR | 29
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
cconomv ol |hc imac, |hc cincma|ic modc ol produc|ion" |ha| dclincs la|c
capi|alism (Bcllcr 2006i-|hc mons|crs and dancrs amon us bcin rcal" insolar
as |hcv arc capablc ol cons|an|lv cscapin imacs. Vc havc cvcn s|ar|cd |o dclinc
our civiliza|ion as a |ruc Icar Svs|cm. Takc, lor cxamplc, Ilrich Bcck`s risk
socic|v" (1992i. This is a socic|v oranizcd around risks crca|cd bv i|scll, lrih|cncd
ol i|s capaci|v |o annihila|c i|s own condi|ions ol cxis|cncc-a socic|v, |ha| is, which
is alraid ol i|scll (|his, I bclicvc, is wha| is dubbcd rcllcxivc modcrniza|ioni. I|
sccms |ha| |hc sprcad ol Rcason" has ru|hlcsslv incrcascd our rcasons lor bcin
alraid. Tha| is, il rcason has no| i|scll bccomc |hc vcrv |hin |o bc lcarcd. And i|
was wc who cnovcd |hc plcasurc ol complaccn|lv ironizin |hc lcars ol |hc poor
primi|ivcs": |hcv wcrc alraid ol o|hcr mcn, alraid ol |hc na|ural lorccs. Prccisclv
wc, who arc in pcrpc|ual-il us|ilicd-panic ol |hc licrcc lour|h-world immiran|s
as wcll as ol |hc incxorablc lobal warmin. An uncxpcc|cd prool ol La|our`s
|hcsis: wc havc rcallv ncvcr bccn modcrn.
I havc no in|cn|ion ol usin mv rcmainin pacs |o cn|cr|ain vou wi|h imacs ol
all |oo lamiliar lcars. Ins|cad, I wish |o |alk abou| a risk socic|v" ol an cn|irclv
dillcrcn| kind, a risk socic|v in which risk is cxpcricnccd no| as a |hrca| |o |hc
condi|ions ol cxis|cncc ol a social lorm bu| as an cxis|cn|ial condi|ion ol |hc social
lorm i|scll-an cxis|cn|ial condi|ion ol possibili|v: i|s rcason lor bcin, i|s modc ol
bccomin. In shor|, I wish |o |alk abou| |hc lorms ol lcar in |hc na|ivc socic|ics ol
Amazonia, or morc prccisclv, abou| ano|hcr wav ol rcla|in |o lcar cxcmplilicd bv
|hcsc socic|ics.
In a marvcllous ar|iclc publishcd in Socic|v aains| |hc S|a|c, Picrrc Clas|rcs
(1989: 129-50i askcd: wha| do Indians lauh abou|. Bv analov, I wish |o ask:
wha| arc Indians alraid ol. Thc rcsponsc is, in principlc (and onlv cvcr in
principlc.i, simplc: |hcv lauh a| and lcar |hc samc |hins, |hc samc oncs
indica|cd bv Clas|rcs: |hins such as auars, shamans, whi|cs and spiri|s-|ha| is,
bcins dclincd bv |hcir radical al|cri|v. And |hcv arc alraid bccausc al|cri|v is |hc
obcc| ol an cquallv radical dcsirc on |hc par| ol |hc Scll. This is a lorm ol lcar
|ha|, lar lrom dcmandin |hc cxclusion or disappcarancc ol |hc o|hcr in ordcr lor
|hc pcacc ol scll-idcn|i|v |o bc rccupcra|cd, ncccssarilv implics |hc inclusion or
incorpora|ion ol |hc o|hcr or bv |hc o|hcr (bv also in |hc scnsc ol |hrouh"i, as a
lorm ol pcrpc|ua|ion ol |hc bccomin-o|hcr |ha| is |hc proccss ol dcsirc in
Amazonian sociali|ics. Vi|hou| |hc dancrous inllux ol lorccs and lorms |ha|
pcoplc |hc cx|crior ol |hc socius, |hc la||cr would incvi|ablv pcrish lrom a lack ol
dillcrcncc. In ordcr |o livc accordin |o dcsirc-|o lcad a ood lilc"(vivir bicni as i|
is said |ha| Indians likc |o sav-i| is lirs| ncccssarv |o cnov livin on |hc cdc.
Pudcnda orio
Lc| us bcin aain. Il, as Nic|zschc claimcd, all his|orical bcinnins arc lowlv or
dcspicablc, |hcn i| makcs scnsc |o bcin down bclow-prccisclv wi|h |hc bodilv
lowcr s|ra|um," in |hc Bakh|inian scnsc. I rccommcncc |hcn wi|h a vcncrablc
Brazilian provcrb (Ibcrian, I bclicvci which |clls us, mirabilc dic|u, |ha|: Qucm
|cm cu |cm mccd," Anvonc wi|h an assholc lccls lcar." Vha| |his savin mcans is
no| complc|clv arccd upon. I havc alrcadv lound various cx|ravaan| hvpo|hcscs
(on |hc in|crnc|, whcrc clsc.i conccrnin, lor cxamplc, |hc nccd |o bc con|inuallv
on |hc lookou| lor |hc risk ol bcin rapcd and sodomizcd. Pcrsonallv, I havc ncvcr
hcard i| uscd in a scxuallv paranoid scnsc. Vha| |hc provcrb undcrlincs is ac|uallv
`0 | Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
|hc common human prcdicamcn| dclincd bv |hc sullicicn| rcla|ion bc|wccn bcin
ana|omicallv cquippcd wi|h an anus and bcin subcc| |o |hc cmo|ion ol lcar.
Prcsumablv, |his is a wav ol savin |ha| lcar (likc |hc anusi is no| somc|hin wc arc
likclv |o bc proud ol or paradc, vc| i| rcmains undcniablv par| ol us and lullils |hc
humblc bu| indispcnsablc lunc|ion ol hclpin in |hc alllic|ions ol lilc. This
prolound dclini|ion ol lcar |hrouh i|s ux|aposcd corrcla|ion wi|h a li|crallv
lundamcn|al ana|omical condi|ion is, wc should no|c, unmarkcd lrom |hc
vicwpoin| ol cndcr. Thc anus is |ha| priva|c par|" cquallv sharcd bv malcs and
lcmalcs; havin balls makcs no dillcrcncc whcn onc is alraid. I| is also unmarkcd
lrom |hc vicwpoin| ol spccics, ivcn |ha| |hc anus (or i|s cquivalcn|i is par| ol |hc
bodv plan ol manv animal ordcrs. This sucs|s an imac ol lcar as an csscn|iallv
dcmocra|ic cmo|ion: oranic, corporcal, animal, univcrsal. Lvcrvonc is alraid ol
somc|hin-|hc mou|h ol |hc cncmv, lor cxamplc, and pcrhaps abovc all clsc |hc
mou|hs ol animals |ha| prcv on our own spccics:
Thc Arawaks ol |hc Guiana rcion} havc a savin, hamro kamunka
|uruwa|i (li|. 'cvcrv|hin has i|s own} |icr auar}`i, as a rcmindcr ol
|hc lac| |ha| wc should bc circumspcc|, and on our uard, |hcrc alwavs
bcin somc cncmv abou|. (Ro|h 1915: `67i
Bu| whilc anvonc wi|h an assholc lccls lcar, wc havc no| all alwavs posscsscd |his
rcmarkablv convcnicn| oran. Thcrc is an anus oriin mv|h, |old bv |hc Taulipan
Indians ol Guiana and rccordcd in 1905 bv Koch-Grnbcr (in Mcdciros 2002:
57i, which is wcll wor|h rc|cllin hcrc. I| will lcad us back |o lcar alon somc
uncxpcc|cd pa|hs.

Pu`ii|o, how pcoplc and animals rcccivcd |hcir anus
In |hc dccp pas|, animals and pcoplc lackcd an anus wi|h which |o
dclcca|c. I |hink |hcv dclcca|cd |hrouh |hcir mou|hs. Pu`ii|o, |hc anus,
wandcrcd around, slowlv and cau|iouslv, lar|in in |hc laccs ol animals
and pcoplc, and |hcn runnin awav. So |hc animals said: Lc|`s rab
Pu`ii|o, so wc can dividc him up bc|wccn us!" Manv a|hcrcd and said:
Vc`ll prc|cnd |ha| wc`rc aslccp! Vhcn hc arrivcs, wc`ll ca|ch him!" So
|ha|`s wha| |hcv did. Pu`ii|o arrivcd and lar|cd in |hc lacc ol onc ol
|hcm. Thcv ran al|cr Pu`ii|o, bu| couldn`| ca|ch him and wcrc lcl|
|railin bchind.
Thc parro|s Kuliwai and Kalik o| closc |o Pu`ii|o. Thcv ran and
ran. Iinallv |hcv cauh| him and |icd him up. Thcn |hc o|hcrs who had
bccn lcl| bchind arrivcd: |apir, dccr, curassow, Spix`s uan, pipin uan,
dovc. . . . Thcv bcan |o sharc him ou|. Tapir cacrlv askcd lor a piccc.
Thc parro|s cu| a larc piccc and |hrcw i| |o |hc o|hcr animals. Tapir
immcdia|clv rabbcd i|. Tha|`s whv his anus is so huc.
Thc parro| cu| a small, appropria|clv-sizcd piccc lor himscll. Thc
dccr rcccivcd a smallcr piccc |han |apir`s. Thc dovcs |ook a li||lc piccc.
Toad arrivcd and askcd |hcm |o ivc him a piccc |oo. Thc parro|s
|hrcw a piccc in his dircc|ion, which s|uck on his back: |ha|`s whv cvcn
|odav |hc |oad`s anus is on his back.
Tha| was how wc acquircd our anuscs. Vcrc wc wi|hou| |hcm
|odav, wc`d havc |o dclcca|c |hrouh our mou|hs, or cxplodc.
IMMANLNCL AND ILAR | `1
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
Koch-Grnbcr makcs |hc lollowin commcn| abou| |his s|orv: Pu`ii|o is
undoub|cdlv |hc wcirdcs| pcrsonilica|ion ol which wc havc rccord," an obscrva|ion
likclv |o rcccivc |hc hcar|v cndorscmcn| ol anv rcadcr.
Thc mv|h ol Pu`ii|o immcdia|clv brins |o mind a passac lrom An|i-Ocdipus
on |hc collcc|ivc invcs|mcn| ol |hc orans in |hc primi|ivc |crri|orial machinc:
Thc mv|holoics sin ol orans-par|ial obcc|s and |hcir rcla|ions wi|h a
lull bodv |ha| rcpcls or a||rac|s |hcm: vainas rivc|cd on |hc woman`s
bodv, an immcnsc pcnis sharcd bv |hc mcn, an indcpcndcn| anus |ha|
assins i|scll a bodv wi|hou| anus. . . . (Dclcuzc S Gua||ari 1972: 142-`i
Dclcuzc and Gua||ari add |ha| i| is |hc collcc|ivc invcs|mcn| ol |hc orans |ha|
plu dcsirc in|o |hc socius," and |ha|:
o}ur modcrn socic|ics havc ins|cad undcr|akcn a vas| priva|iza|ion ol |hc
orans. . . . Thc lirs| oran |o sullcr priva|iza|ion, rcmoval lrom |hc
social licld, was |hc anus. I| was |hc anus |ha| ollcrcd i|scll as a modcl lor
priva|iza|ion. (Ibid.i
Pu`ii|o is onc ol |hc manv Amcrindian mv|hs rcla|in |o spccia|ion, |ha| is, |hc
proccss |hrouh which a vir|ual pro|o-humani|v scpara|cs ou| in|o |hc dillcrcn|
corporali|ics ol |hc con|cmporarv world. Thc his|orv ol Pu`ii|o dcscribcs |hc
oriinal, common condi|ion ol mv|hic bcins in |hcir prc-corporal, or ra|hcr, prc-
oranic-and vc| an an|hropo-morphic and an|hropo-loical s|a|c-a s|a|c in which
|hc anus was a pcrson (a spiri|ual anclic anus, so |o spcaki. I| narra|cs |hc
momcn| whcn |hc oran in qucs|ion lcavcs i|s in|cnsivc" cxis|cncc, as a par|
idcn|ical |o i|s own (wiholc, and is cx|cnsilicd," collcc|ivclv invcs|cd and
dis|ribu|cd (sharcdi amon |hc animal spccics. (In |his scnsc, |hc Brazilian provcrb
wi|h which I bcan rclcrs |o |hc socializcd, in|crmcdiarv phasc ol |hc anus, i|s pos|-
ac|ualizcd vc| prc-priva|izcd momcn|.i Vc should no|c |ha| |hc mv|h docs no|
involvc ivin cach individual an idcn|ical anus |ha| is his/hcr own in |hc scnsc ol
his/hcr priva|c propcr|v; ins|cad i| involvcs ivin |hc rcprcscn|a|ivcs ol cach lu|urc
spccics an oran |ha| is spccilic |o i|-in o|hcr words, onc |ha| charac|crizcs cach
spccics as a dis|inc| mul|iplici|v. Vc arc no| vc| wi|hin |hc rcimc ol cncral
cquivalcncc. S|ill, cvcrv spccics shall havc an anus bccausc, as |hc mv|h
cndcavours |o cxplain in linc, cvcrv spccics has a mou|h. And i| is |hrouh |hc
mou|h |ha| |hc mos| dccisivc rcla|ions bc|wccn |hc spccics in |hc pos|-mv|hic
world |akc placc-|hrouh in|cr-corporal prcda|ion.

An cvc lor a |oo|h, a |oo|h lor an cvc
Thc prc-cosmoloical world dcscribcd bv Amcrindian mv|hs is a world complc|clv
sa|ura|cd wi|h pcrsonhood. A Yawanawa (Panoan ol Vcs|crn Amazoniai s|orv
bcins: in |ha| |imc |hcrc was no|hin, bu| pcoplc alrcadv cxis|cd" (Carid Navcira
1999i. Thc cmcrcncc ol |hc spccics and |hc s|abiliza|ion ol |hc lood chain
(proccsscs dcscribcd in |hc mv|hsi, havc no| cx|inuishcd |his oriinarv univcrsal
pcrsonhood; |hcv havc mcrclv pu| i| in|o a s|a|c ol dancrous non-appcarancc, |ha|
is, a s|a|c ol la|cncv or po|cn|iali|v. Lvcrv bcin cncoun|crcd bv a human ovcr |hc
coursc ol producin his or hcr own lilc mav suddcnlv allow i|s o|hcr sidc" (a
common idiom in indicnous cosmoloicsi |o cclipsc i|s usual non-human
appcarancc, ac|ualizin i|s la|cn| humanoid condi|ion and au|oma|icallv placin a|
risk |hc lilc ol |hc human in|crlocu|or. Thc problcm is par|icularlv acu|c bccausc i|
`2 | Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
passcs |hrouh |hc mou|h: A shaman in Ilulik oncc |old Birkc|-Smi|h: 'Lilc`s
rca|cs| dancr lics in |hc lac| |ha| man`s lood consis|s cn|irclv ol souls`"
(Bodcnhorn 1988: 1; mv cmphasisi.
This is no|, |hcn, cquivalcn| |o |hc con|cmporarv lcar |ha| our lood is
composcd ol |ranscnic oranisms," bu| a lcar ol |hc la|cncv-ol qui|c o|hcr
hvbrids, |ranson|oloical in|cn|ionali|ics, non-oranic livcs-|ha| arc us| as
dancrous as our modcrn poisons (or cvcn morci as induccrs ol corporal
mc|amorphoscs, as abduc|ors ol souls. Thc |hcmc is lairlv wcll known.
Cannibalism is, lor |hc na|ivc pcoplcs ol Amcrica, an incvi|ablc componcn| ol
cvcrv ac| ol manduca|ion bccausc cvcrv|hin is human, in |hc scnsc ol capablc ol
bcin human: backround humani|v is lcss a prcdica|c ol all bcins |han a
cons|i|u|ivc unccr|ain|v conccrnin |hc prcdica|cs ol anv bcin. This unccr|ain|v
docs no| implica|c mcrclv |hc obcc|s" ol pcrccp|ion, and i| is no| a problcm ol
a||ribu|ivc udmcn|; s|ill lcss is i| a problcm ol classilica|ion." Thc unccr|ain|v
includcs |hc subcc|, in o|hcr words, i| includcs |hc subcc| condi|ion ol |hc human
ac|an| who is cxposcd |o con|ac| wi|h |hc radical al|cri|v ol |hcsc o|hcr pcoplc,
pcoplc who, likc anv o|hcr pcoplc, claim lor |hcmsclvcs a sovcrcin poin| ol vicw.
Hcrc wc approach onc ol |hc oriins ol Amcrindian mc|aphvsical lcar. I| is
impossiblc no| |o bc a cannibal; bu| i| is cquallv impossiblc |o cs|ablish a
consis|cn|lv onc-wav ac|ivc cannibal rcla|ion wi|h anv o|hcr spccics-|hcv arc
bound |o s|rikc back. Lvcrv|hin onc ca|s is soul-lood" in |hc Amcrindian world,
and |hcrclorc |hrca|cns lilc: |hosc who ca| souls shall bc ca|cn bv souls.
In sum, |hcsc arc worlds whcrc humani|v is immancn|, as R. Vancr pu|s i|;
|ha| is, worlds whcrc |hc primordial |akcs human lorm; which docs no| makc i| in
anv scnsc comlor|in, much |hc opposi|c: |hcrc whcrc all |hins arc human, |hc
human is somc|hin clsc cn|irclv. And |hcrc whcrc all |hins arc human, nobodv
can bc ccr|ain ol bcin uncondi|ionallv human, bccausc nobodv is-includin
oursclvcs. In lac|, humans havc |o bc capablc ol dccondi|ionin" |hcir humani|v
in ccr|ain condi|ions, sincc |hc inllux ol |hc non-human and bccomin-o|hcr-|han-
human arc oblia|orv momcn|s ol a lullv human condi|ion. Thc world ol
immancn| humani|v is also (and lor |hc samc rcasonsi a world ol |hc immancncc
ol |hc cncmv.
Irvin Hallowcll (1960: 69-70i makcs an obscrva|ion |ha| rccurs in manv
Amcrindian c|hnoraphics:
Mv Oibwa lricnds ol|cn cau|ioncd mc aains| udin bv appcaranccs. . .
I havc sincc concludcd |ha| |hc advicc ivcn mc in a common scnsc
lashion providcs onc ol |hc maor clucs |o a cncralizcd a||i|udc |owards
|hc obcc|s ol |hcir bchavioural cnvironmcn|-par|icularlv pcoplc. I|
makcs |hcm cau|ious and suspicious in in|crpcrsonal rcla|ions ol all
kinds. Thc possibili|v ol mc|amorphosis mus| bc onc ol |hc dc|crminin
lac|ors in |his a||i|udc; i| is a concrc|c manilcs|a|ion ol |hc dcccp|ivcncss
ol appcaranccs.
Do no| udc bv appcaranccs. . . I prcsumc |his warnin is issucd in vir|uallv all
cul|ural |radi|ions sincc i| bclons |o |ha| univcrsal lund ol popular wisdom |ha|
includcs manv similar maxims. This wisdom is wcll roundcd in a scnsc, or ra|hcr,
in manv dillcrcn| cul|urallv spccilic scnscs. Bu| Hallowcll is savin a bi| morc |han
appcaranccs dcccivc" in |hc abs|rac|: hc savs |ha| |hc cau|ion abou| |hc
dcccp|ivcncss ol appcaranccs applics cspcciallv |o dcalins wi|h pcrsons, and
IMMANLNCL AND ILAR | ``
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
lur|hcr, |ha| |hc no|ion ol mc|amorphosis is a crucial lac|or. Indccd, il pcrsons arc
|hc cpi|omc ol wha| should no| bc udcd bv appcaranccs, and il all (or almos| alli
|vpcs ol bcins arc pcoplc, wc can ncvcr |akc appcaranccs a| lacc valuc. Vha|
appcars |o bc a human mav bc an animal or a spiri|; wha| appcars |o bc an animal
or human mav bc a spiri|, and so on. Thins chanc-cspcciallv whcn |hcv arc
pcrsons. This has vcrv li||lc |o do wi|h our own lamiliar cpis|cmoloical warnin,
no| |o |rus| our scnscs." Vha| canno| bc |rus|cd" is pcoplc, no| our scnscs.
Appcaranccs dcccivc no| bccausc |hcv dillcr lrom |hc csscnccs prcsumcd (bv usi
|o bc conccalcd bchind |hcm, bu| bccausc |hcv arc, prccisclv, appcaranccs, i.c.
appari|ions. Lvcrv appari|ion dcmands a rccipicn|, a subcc| |o whom i| appcars.
And whcrc |hcrc is a subcc|, |hcrc is a poin| ol vicw. Appcaranccs dcccivc bccausc
|hcv carrv cmbcddcd wi|hin |hcmsclvcs a par|icular poin| ol vicw. Lvcrv
appcarancc is a pcrspcc|ivc, and cvcrv pcrspcc|ivc dcccivcs."
Thc qucs|ion ol dis|rus|in appcaranccs in|roduccs |o us |hc |hird oran
rclcvan| |o dc|crminin wha| wc could call |hc |ransccndcn|al condi|ions" ol lcar
in Amcrindian sociali|ics: |hc cvc. Hcrc I nccd |o rc|urn |o a |vpical mo|il ol
indicnous cosmopraxis, onc abou| which I havc alrcadv wri||cn so cxhaus|ivclv
|ha| |hc rcadcr mih| bc alrcadv lamiliar wi|h i|. I rclcr |o Amcrindian
cosmoloical pcrspcc|ivism," |hc idca accordin |o which cach spccics or |vpc ol
bcin is cndowcd wi|h a prosopomorphic or an|hropomorphic appcrccp|ion,
sccin i|scll as a pcrson," whilc i| sccs |hc o|hcr componcn|s ol i|s own cco-svs|cm
as non-pcrsons or non-humans. Somc arc sccn as prcv animals or prcda|orv
animals (cvcrv|hin has i|s own auari, or as spiri|s (invariablv cannibal, or scxuallv
voraciousi. O|hcr componcn|s ol |hc cco-svs|cm arc sccn as ar|clac|s ol onc`s scll-
own cul|urc: auars scc humans as pcccarics, and scc |hc blood ol |hc prcv |ha|
|hcv kill as maizc bccr; |hc dcad scc |hc crickc|s as lish, |hc |apirs scc |hc sal| licks
whcrc |hcv a|hcr as larc ccrcmonial houscs, c|c. (Much ol wha| I sav hcrc abou|
animals can also bc said abou| |hc dcad sincc, in various aspcc|s, animals arc likc
|hc dcad and |hc dcad arc likc animals. Tha| is, |hc dcad arc no| human.i Thus,
cach spccics occupics in" cul|urc |hc posi|ion |ha| humans (|ha| is, |hc humans`
humansi scc |hcmsclvcs as occupvin in rcla|ion |o |hc rcs| ol |hc cosmos. Hcncc,
i| is no| us| a qucs|ion ol cach spccics idcn|ilvin i|scll as a cul|urallv dclincd
humani|v: pcrspcc|ivism also mcans |ha| cach spccics posscsscs a par|icular wav ol
pcrccivin al|cri|v, a conscnsual hallucina|ion" dcvicc which makcs i| scc |hc
world in a charac|cris|ic wav.
This pcrspcc|ival divcrcncc ol |hc spccics is lrcqucn|lv a||ribu|cd |o |hc quali|v
ol cvcs posscsscd bv cach spccics. Thc Yc`kuana ol Vcnczucla sav: Lach pcoplc
havc |hcir own cvcs. . . . Thc pcoplc humans} can`| undcrs|and |hc anacondas
bccausc |hcv havc dillcrcn| cvcs . . ." (Civricux 1985: 65-66i. Thc |hcmc is
omniprcscn| in mv|holov, whcrc maical cvcwashcs, |hc swappin ol cvcballs and
o|hcr oph|halmoloical |ricks producc cllcc|s ou| ol radical |ranslorma|ions ol |hc
pcrccivcd world-a surc sin |ha| |hc pro|aonis|s havc crosscd somc kind ol
on|oloical barricr (lrom spccics |o spccics, livin |o dcad, c|c.i.
Havin dillcrcn| cvcs, howcvcr, docs no| mcan sccin |hc samc |hins" in a
dillcrcn| wav"; i| mcans |ha| vou don`| know wha| |hc o|hcr is sccin whcn hc
savs" |ha| hc is sccin |hc samc |hin as vou: wc do no| undcrs|and anacondas.
Thc problcm is onc ol pcrccp|ivc homonvmv," no| svnonvmv." Pcrspcc|ivism is
no| a |rans-spccilic mul|icul|uralism s|a|in |ha| cach spccics posscsscs a par|icular
subcc|ivc poin| ol vicw" ol a rcal obcc|ivc, uniquc and scll-subsis|cn| world. I| is
`4 | Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
no| An|hropolov 101-various cul|urcs and onc na|urc." Pcrspcc|ivism docs no|
s|a|c |hc cxis|cncc ol a mul|iplici|v ol poin|s ol vicw, bu| |hc cxis|cncc ol |hc poin|
ol vicw as a mul|iplici|v. Thcrc is us| onc" poin| ol vicw, |hc onc which humans
sharc-likc |hc anus-wi|h cvcrv o|hcr spccics ol bcin: |hc poin| ol vicw ol cul|urc.
Vha| varics is |hc obcc|ivc corrcla|ivc ol |hc poin| ol vicw: wha| passcs |hrouh
|hc op|ic ncrvc (or dics|ivc |ubci ol cach spccics, so |o spcak. In o|hcr words,
pcrspcc|ivism docs no| prcsumc a Thin-in-I|scll par|iallv apprchcndcd bv |hc
ca|corics ol undcrs|andin propcr |o cach spccics. I do no| bclicvc |ha| |hc
Indians imainc |ha| |hcrc is a |hin-in-i|scll which humans scc as blood and
auars scc as bccr. Thcrc arc no| dillcrcn|lv ca|corizcd scll-idcn|ical subs|anccs,
bu| immcdia|clv rcla|ional mul|iplici|ics ol |hc blood-bccr, sal| lick-ccrcmonial-
housc, crickc|-lish |vpc. Thcrc is no x which is blood lor onc spccics and bccr lor
|hc o|hcr: |hcrc cxis|s a blood-bccr which is onc ol |hc sinulari|ics charac|cris|ic ol
|hc human-auar mul|iplici|v.
Vha| dclincs |hcsc pcrspcc|ival mul|iplici|ics is |hcir incompa|ibili|v. A human
and a auar canno| bc pcoplc a| |hc samc |imc; i| is impossiblc |o cxpcricncc
blood as bccr wi|hou| havin-alrcadv-bccomc a auar. Pcrspcc|ivism s|a|cs |ha|
cach spccics sccs i|scll as pcoplc. Howcvcr, i| also s|a|cs |ha| |wo spccics canno|
scc cach o|hcr simul|ancouslv as pcoplc. Lach spccics has |o bc capablc ol no|
losin sih|, so |o spcak, ol |hc lac| |ha| |hc o|hcrs scc |hcmsclvcs as pcoplc and,
simul|ancouslv, capablc ol lorc||in |his lac|-|ha| is, ol no loncr sccin i|." This
is a par|icularlv impor|an| poin| lor humans whcn |hcv kill |o ca|. Bu| al|houh wc
nccd |o bc ablc no| |o scc" |hc animals |ha| wc ca| as |hcv scc |hcmsclvcs,
somc|imcs i| mih| bc in|crcs|in, usclul, and cvcn ncccssarv |o scc how ccr|ain
animals scc and |o scc |hcm as |hcv arc sccn bv o|hcr animals: |o curc humans
madc sick bv |hc spiri| ol a ccr|ain animal spccics (whcn |hc shaman mus|
nco|ia|c wi|h |hc mcmbcrs ol |hc arcssor spccicsi; |o invcs| oncscll wi|h |hc
prcda|orv capaci|ics ol |hc auar or anaconda in ordcr |o a||ack cncmics; |o know
how our world appcars whcn sccn lrom abovc (|hc skvi or bclow (|hc dcp|hs ol |hc
rivcri, and so on.
Gcorc Mcn|orc (199`: 29i providcs a concisc lormula lor |hc cosmopraxis ol
|hc Vaiwai ol |hc Guianas: |hc primarv dialcc|ic is onc bc|wccn sccin and
ca|in." This obscrva|ion rcminds us ol |ha| pcrspcc|ival mul|iplici|v is |hc
corrcla|c ol |hc cncralizcd cannibalism |ha| dclincs |hc indicnous cosmopoli|ical
cconomv. This complcx combina|ion bc|wccn sccin and bcin sccn, ca|in and
bcin ca|cn, commcnsali|v and in|cr-pcrccp|uali|v is abundan|lv illus|ra|cd in |hc
c|hnoraphic rccord. Considcr, lor cxamplc, |hc lollowin:
Accordin |o |hc inlorman|, a auar ol anv spccics |ha| dcvours a
human bcin, lirs|lv ca|s |hc cvcs ol i|s vic|im, and vcrv ol|cn is con|cn|
wi|h |his. In ac|uali|v, |hc cvc hcrc docs no| rcprcscn| |hc oran ol
vision, bu| a scminal principlc which |hc auar |hcrcbv incorpora|cs
in|o i|scll. (Rcichcl-Dolma|oll 197`: 245i
Tha| |his rcallv involvcs ca|in |hc scminal principlc" is no| somc|hin I would
unhcsi|a|inlv swcar bv. Howcvcr i| is qui|c a ood cxamplc ol |hc primarv
dialcc|ic bc|wccn sccin and ca|in." Considcr also, lrom Lduardo Kohn`s |hcsis
on |hc Avila Runa ol Pcru:
Scvcral mv|h imacs cxplorc how pcrspcc|ivism can rcvcal momcn|s ol
alicna|ion and |hc brcak down ol scll-knowlcdc. This is cvidcn| in |hc
IMMANLNCL AND ILAR | `5
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
mv|h rcardin uri uri dcmons Ao|us sp., noc|urnal prima|cs wi|h
cnormous bulin cvcs}. This mv|h bcins wi|h an cpisodc in which
|cn hun|crs makc lun ol |hc monkcvs |hcv havc hun|cd and arc
punishcd lor |his bv |hc uri uri dcmon. This dcmon ca|s |hcir cvcs ou|
whilc |hcv arc slccpin. (Kohn 2002: 1``i
Thc au|hor also rccords:
Vhcn auars} cncoun|cr pcoplc in |hc lorcs| |hcv arc alwavs said |o makc cvc
con|ac|. I should also no|c |ha| onc ol |hc wavs in which pcoplc acquirc auar
souls is |hrouh an applica|ion ol a auar caninc or incisor |oo|h dippcd in ho|
pcppcrs |o |hc |car duc|. Jauar |cc|h |ha| arc in|ac| and havc no| vc| dcvclopcd
hairlinc lrac|urcs con|ain |hc souls ol auars. Pcoplc can absorb |his-wi|h |hc aid
ol ho| pcppcrs-|hrouh |hc condui| ol |hc cvcs. (Ibid.: 20`i
In o|hcr words: an cvc lor a |oo|h, a |oo|h lor an cvc. Miucl Alcxiadcs (1999:
194i, discussin |hc cdosikiana, spiri|s cncoun|crcd bv |hc Lsc La ol Bolivia,
wri|cs: |hc cdosikiana arc invisiblc |o cvcrvonc cxccp| |hc shaman: anvonc who
sccs an cdosikiana is dcvourcd bv i|." In|crcs|inlv, sccin" hcrc is bcin sccn"
and, conscqucn|lv, bcin dcvourcd. In o|hcr cascs, i| is ncccssarv |o scc so as no|
|o bc sccn. This |hcmc is lrcqucn| in |hc Amazonian hun|in lolklorc, indccd, i| is
a Pan-Amcrindian |hcmc, which is also lound in |hc popular |radi|ion ol manv
o|hcr pcoplcs. In circumpolar cul|urcs i| is, as wc know, lundamcn|al. I| also
appcars in Mcdicval Luropc:
A} man who cncoun|crs a woll has onc chancc in |wo ol cscapin: hc
nccds |o scc |hc woll lirs|. Thc la||cr |hcn loscs i|s arcssivcncss and
llccs. Il |hc woll pcrccivcs |hc prcscncc ol |hc man lirs|, |houh, |hc
la||cr will bccomc paralvzcd and will cnd up bcin dcvourcd; cvcn il,
wi|h a s|rokc ol luck, hc manacs |o cscapc, hc will rcmain dumb lor |hc
rcs| ol his davs. (Pas|ourcau 1989: 167i
An in|crcs|in pcrmu|a|ion ol |hc scnscs: il vou arc sccn lirs| ins|cad ol sccin, vou
will bccomc mu|c. . . . Vha| nccds |o bc rcmcmbcrcd is |ha| |hcrc is morc in
pcrspcc|ivism |han mcc|s |hc cvc; |hcrc is an cn|irc |hcorv ol |hc sin and
communica|ion.

Thc hcar| ol |hc lonclv hun|cr
Joana Millcr, in hcr rcccn| disscr|a|ion dclcndcd a| |hc Muscu Nacional in which
shc analvzcs |hc impor|ancc ol bodv dccora|ions in |hc cons|i|u|ion ol human
pcrsonhood amon |hc Nambikwara ol Ccn|ral Brazil, ci|cs an indicnous
cxplana|ion lor |hc dancr ol a pcrson losin his or hcr bodv ornamcn|s. Askcd
lor |hc rcason bchind |his lcar, a voun man wi|h somc cxpcricncc ol ci|v lilc
rcplicd |ha| his ornamcn|s,
wcrc likc whi|c pcoplc`s ID cards. Vhcn whi|c pcoplc losc |hcir ID,
|hc policc arrcs| |hcm, aruin |ha| wi|hou| |hcir idcn|i|v card, |hcv arc
nobodv. Thc samc happcns whcn |hc spiri|s ol |hc lorcs| s|cal |hc
ornamcn|s ol |hc Nambiquara. Thcv hidc |hcm in holcs in |hc lorcs|
and |hc soul (vaup|idui ol |hc pcrson bccomcs s|uck in |hc holc as a
rcsul|. Thc pcrson bccomcs sick and no loncr rcconizcs his or hcr
kin. Vi|hou| |hcir ornamcn|s, |hcv arc nobodv. (Millcr 2007: 171i
`6 | Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
No loncr rcconizin kin" mcans no loncr occupvin |hc human pcrspcc|ivc;
onc ol |hc mos| impor|an| sins ol mc|amorphosis (and cvcrv illncss is a
mc|amorphosis, cspcciallv whcn causcd bv soul abduc|ioni is no| so much |hc
chanc in appcarancc ol |hc scll in |hc cvcs ol o|hcrs, bu| |hc chanc in |hc
pcrccp|ion bv |hc scll ol |hc appcarancc ol o|hcrs, dc|cc|ablc bv |hcsc o|hcrs bv a
chanc in |hc bchaviour ol |hc subcc| in qucs|ion: |hc sick pcrson loscs |hc
capaci|v |o scc o|hcrs as conspccilics, |ha| is, kin, and bcins |o scc |hcm as |hc
animal/spiri| who cap|urcd his or hcr soul sccs |hcm-|vpicallv, as prcv. This is onc
ol |hc rcasons whv a sick pcrson is dancrous.
Bu| |hc poin| ol morc in|crcs| |o mc in |his cxplana|ion is |hc rcla|ion bc|wccn
indicnous ornamcn|s and |hc ID card, a lundamcn|al obcc| in |hc Brazilian
s|a|c's svs|cm lor con|rollin |hc popula|ion. Thc Nambikwara nccklaccs and
bracclc|s arc likc" |hc ID cards ol whi|c pcoplc bccausc |his documcn|, as |hc
Indians pcrspicaciouslv pcrccivcd, is likc" an ornamcn|-i| is a humaniza|ion
dcvicc. Vhilc |hc pcrson who los|" hcr ornamcn|s, |ha| is, had |hcm s|olcn bv |hc
spiri|s, no loncr rcconizcs hcr kin, |hc pcrson who los| hcr ID card is no loncr
rcconizcd bv |hc s|a|c, and can |hus bc s|olcn"-arrcs|cd-bv |hc policc and
scpara|cd lrom hcr kin.
Thc crucial comparison madc bv |hc voun Nambikwara man, I sucs|, is |ha|
bc|wccn |hc policc and |hc spiri|s. Thc policc, likc |hc spiri|s, arc alwavs on |hc
lookou| lor |hc chancc |o |ranslorm somcbodv in|o a nobodv and |hcn makc |hcm
disappcar. Hcrc wc arc approachin wha| sccms |o mc |o bc |hc con|cx| par
cxccllcncc lor cxpcricncin lcar in indicnous Amazonia: cn|rv in|o a
supcrna|ural" rcimc. I usc |his |crm |o dcsina|c a si|ua|ion in which |hc subcc|
ol a pcrspcc|ivc, or scll," is suddcnlv |ranslormcd in|o an obcc| in |hc pcrspcc|ivc
ol ano|hcr bcin. Irrcspcc|ivc ol i|s apparcn| spccics-spccilic idcn|i|v |his o|hcr
bcin is rcvcalcd |o bc a spiri| bv |hc ac| ol assumin |hc mas|cr posi|ion ol |hc
dominan| pcrspcc|ivc, |hus submi||in |hc human |o i|s dclini|ion ol rcali|v. This
dclini|ion ol rcali|v is onc in which |hc human, bv dclini|ion, is no| human-i| is a
prcv animal ol |hc spiri|, which dcvours |hc cx-subcc| in ordcr |o rcdclinc |hc
la||cr as i|s conspccilic (a scxual par|ncr, or an adop|cd childi.
This is |hc war ol |hc worlds" |ha| lorms |hc backdrop |o Amcrindian cosmo-
praxis. Thc |vpical conlron|a|ion |akcs placc in |hc cncoun|cr ou|sidc |hc villac
bc|wccn a pcrson who is alonc (a hun|cr, a woman collcc|in lircwood, c|c.i and a
bcin |ha| a| lirs| sih| looks likc an animal or pcrson-somc|imcs a rcla|ivc (livin
or dcadi ol |hc subcc|. Thc cn|i|v |hcn in|crpclla|cs |hc human: |hc animal, lor
cxamplc, spcaks |o |hc hun|cr, pro|cs|in aains| his |rca|mcn| ol i|scll as prcv; or i|
looks s|ranclv" a| him, whilc |hc hun|cr`s arrows lail |o inurc i|; |hc pscudo-
rcla|ivc invi|cs |hc subcc| |o lollow i|, or |o ca| somc|hin i| is carrvin. Thc
rcac|ion |o |hc cn|i|v's ini|ia|ivc is dccisivc. Il |hc human acccp|s |hc dialouc or
|hc invi|a|ion, il hc or shc rcsponds |o |hc in|crpclla|ion, |hc pcrson is los|: hc/shc
will bc incvi|ablv ovcrpowcrcd bv |hc non-human subcc|ivi|v, passin ovcr |o i|s
sidc, |ranslormin him/hcrscll in|o a bcin ol |hc samc spccics as |hc spcakcr.
Anvonc rcspondin |o a vou" spokcn bv a non-human acccp|s |hc condi|ion ol
bcin i|s sccond pcrson" and whcn assumin, in |urn, |hc posi|ion ol I" docs so
alrcadv as a non-human. Thc canonical lorm ol |hcsc cncoun|crs, |hcn, consis|s in
suddcnlv lindin ou| |ha| |hc o|hcr is human," or ra|hcr, |ha| i| is |hc o|hcr |ha| is
human, which au|oma|icallv dchumanizcs and alicna|cs |hc in|crlocu|or. As a
con|cx| in which a human subcc| is cap|urcd bv ano|hcr cosmoloicallv dominan|
IMMANLNCL AND ILAR | `7
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
poin| ol vicw, whcrc hc/shc bccomcs |hc vou" ol a non-human pcrspcc|ivc,
Supcrna|urc is |hc lorm ol |hc O|hcr as Subcc|, implvin an obcc|ilica|ion ol |hc
human I" as a vou" lor |his O|hcr.
This, in sum, would bc |hc |ruc mcanin ol |hc Amcrindian disquic| ovcr wha|
is hiddcn bchind appcaranccs. Appcaranccs dcccivc bccausc onc can ncvcr bc
surc whosc or which is |hc dominan| poin| ol vicw. Onc can ncvcr bc surc, |ha| is,
which world is in lorcc whcn onc in|crac|s wi|h |hc O|hcr.
I spokc ol |hc lc|hal in|crpclla|ion" ol |hc subcc| bv a spiri|. Thc Al|husscrian
allusion is dclibcra|c. I scc |hcsc supcrna|ural cncoun|crs in |hc lorcs|, whcrc |hc
scll is cap|urcd bv an o|hcr, and dclincd bv i| as i|s sccond pcrson," as a kind ol
indicnous pro|o-cxpcricncc ol |hc S|a|c. Tha| is, a prcmoni|ion ol |hc la|clul
cxpcricncc ol lindin ou| |ha| vou arc a ci|izcn" ol a S|a|c (dca|h and |axcs. . .i. In
an carlicr work, I arucd |ha| |hc cons|i|u|ivc problcm ol Vcs|crn modcrni|v,
namclv, solipsism-|hc supposi|ion |ha| |hc o|hcr is mcrclv a bodv, |ha| i| docs no|
harbour a soul likc |ha| ol |hc scll: |hc abscncc ol communica|ion as an anxic|v-
riddcn horizon ol |hc scll-had as i|s Amazonian cquivalcn| |hc (posi|ivc or
nca|ivci obscssion wi|h cannibalism and |hc allirma|ion ol |hc la|cn|
|ranslormabili|v ol bodics. In a cosmos |o|allv imprcna|cd wi|h subcc|hood, |hc
dominan| supposi|ion-lcar is |ha| wha| wc ca| arc alwavs, in |hc linal analvsis, souls:
an cxccss ol communica|ion, |hc dancrous |ransparcncv ol |hc world.
Hcrc I wish |o sucs| |ha| |hc |ruc cquivalcn| ol |hc indicnous ca|corv ol
|hc supcrna|ural" arc no| our" cx|raordinarv or paranormal cxpcricnccs (alicn
abduc|ions, LSP, mcdiumship, prcmoni|ioni, bu| |hc quo|idian cxpcricncc,
pcrlcc|lv |crrilvin in i|s vcrv normali|v, ol cxis|in undcr a S|a|c. Thc lamous
pos|cr ol Inclc Sam wi|h his lincr poin|in in vour lacc, lookin dircc|lv a|
anvonc who allowcd |hcir azc |o bc cap|urcd bv him, is lor mc |hc pcrlcc| icon ol
|hc S|a|c: I wan| vou." An Amazonian Indian would immcdia|clv know wha| |his
cvil spiri| is |alkin abou|, and, prc|cndin no| |o hcar, would look clscwhcrc.
I do no| know wha| |hc prcsupposi|ional cxpcricncc ol ci|izcnship is likc in
Canada or Japan, bu| in |odav`s Brazil, I can assurc vou, cvcrvonc (s|ill!i lccl a
|inlc ol lcar on bcin s|oppcd bv |hc policc-a hihwav pa|rol, lor cxamplc-and
askcd |o hand ovcr his/hcr documcn|s" lor inspcc|ion. Mavbc au|hori|ics" and
|hc rcallv rich do no| cxpcricncc such a lcar; bu| |hcsc arc no| pcoplc: |hcv arc
lunc|ions and ollicials ol |hc S|a|c and/or Capi|al. This is qui|c dillcrcn| lor a
common mor|al (and |hc morc common onc is, |hc morc mor|al onc c|si. Lvcn il
his/hcr documcn|s arc pcrlcc|lv in ordcr, cvcn il vou arc a complc|clv innoccn|
pcrson (and who is complc|clv innoccn|.i, i| is impossiblc no| |o lccl a cold shivcr
down vour spinc (i.c., rih| down |o ano|hcr par| ol |hc bodv mcn|ioncd carlicri
upon bcin conlron|cd bv |hc Iorccs ol Ordcr. This is no| simplv dcrivcd lrom
|hc lac| |ha| |hc policc in Brazil arc ol|cn corrup| and bru|al, and |ha| |hc ci|izcn`s
innoccncc and a clcan rccord do no| uaran|cc vcrv much |hcrc. Sincc wc lccl |hc
samc lcar (oncc morc, I can onlv spcak ol mv own cxpcricncc and ol |hc
cnvironmcn| lamiliar |o mci on havin our passpor| cxamincd bv Immira|ion in a
lorcin coun|rv, on crossin |hc mc|al dc|cc|ors lound in public buildins across
|hc planc|, on discmbarkin in an absolu|c non-placc such as an in|crna|ional
airpor|, on sccin |hc bankno|c wc uscd |o makc a purchasc chcckcd lor i|s
au|hcn|ici|v bv |hc shop assis|an|, on sccin vourscll cauh| bv a CCTV camcra,
and so on. Clcarlv, all ol us almos| alwavs cscapc. Almos| alwavs no|hin happcns:
or morc cxac|lv, somc|hin alwavs almos|-happcns. This is prccisclv how |hc
`8 | Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
subcc|ivi|ics |ha| wandcr |hc lorcs| arc |vpicallv cxpcricnccd bv |hc Indians-|hcv
arc usuallv onlv almos|-sccn, communica|ion is almos|-cs|ablishcd, and |hc rcsul| is
alwavs an almos|-dca|h. Thc almos|-cvcn| is |hc Supcrna|ural`s dclaul| modc ol
cxis|cncc. Vc nccd |o havc almos|-dicd |o bc ablc |o |cll.
Bu| wha| is |his cxpcricncc ol unccr|ain|v and hclplcssncss |ha| wc lccl whcn
laccd bv |hc incarna|ions ol |hc S|a|c or, in |hc casc ol |hc Indians, |hc
incarna|ions ol spiri|s. Vc could bcin bv cs|ablishin |ha| |hc modcrn S|a|c is |hc
abscncc ol kinship; |his is cllcc|ivclv i|s principlc. Pc|cr Gow obscrvcd |ha| |hc
auar, |hc |vpical an|aonis| ol |hc na|ivcs ol Amazonia in |hcsc (almos|-i lc|hal
supcrna|ural cncoun|crs is, lor |hc Piro, |hc vcrv an|i|hcsis ol kinship" (2001:
106i. Old pcoplc |cll Piro childrcn:
You should ncvcr okc abou| |hc auar. Tha| onc is no| likc our
mo|hcrs and la|hcrs, who arc alwavs savin, 'Va|ch ou|, I`m oin |o
hi| vou, I`ll hi| vou,` bu| ncvcr do. No, |hc auar is no| likc |ha|. Tha|
onc us| kills vou! (Ibid.: 110i
And hcrc wc arc. I| is no mcrc coincidcncc |ha| |hc larc lclincs arc lound as
impcrial svmbols us| abou| cvcrvwhcrc, includin in indicnous Amcrica. And, il
|hc Jauar-S|a|c is |hc an|i|hcsis ol kinship i| is bccausc kinship is, somchow, |hc
an|i|hcsis ol |hc S|a|c. Lvcn whcrc kinship roups and nc|works arc lirmlv
cnsconccd in |hc S|a|c i| is |hrouh |hcsc vcrv nc|works |ha| powcrlul lincs ol llih|
cnablc an cscapc lrom |hc s|a|c appara|us. In rcions whcrc, on |hc con|rarv,
kinship is asscmblcd in|o a machinc capablc ol blockin |hc coaula|ion ol a
scpara|c powcr, as in |hc Clas|rcan socic|ics ol Amazonia, i| (kinshipi is lcss |hc
cxprcssion ol an cali|arian" molar philosophv |han a pcrspcc|ivis| cosmolov
whcrc |hc humani|v ol |hc subcc| is alwavs molccularlv a| risk, and whcrc |hc cvcr-
prcscn| challcnc is |o cap|urc inhuman po|cncics wi|hou| allowin oncscll |o bc
|o|allv dchumanizcd bv |hcm. Thc problcm is how |o makc kin ou| ol o|hcrs" (as
Vilaa 2002 pu| i|i-bccausc kin can onlv bc madc ou| ol o|hcrs; convcrsclv, onc
mus| bccomc-o|hcr |o makc kin. Vhilc |hc Piro sav |ha| vou should ncvcr okc
abou| |hc auar, wc havc mcn|ioncd Clas|rcs`s obscrva|ion |ha| |hc mv|hs |ha|
makc |hc Indians lauh |hc mos| |cnd |o pu| |hc auars in par|icularlv ro|csquc
si|ua|ions. Thc auar is |hc an|i|hcsis ol kinship and vc|, a| |hc samc |imc, |hc
cpi|omc ol bcau|v lor |hc Piro-|hc bcau|v ol al|cri|v and |hc al|cri|v ol bcau|v. To
avoid bcin dcvourcd bv |hc auar, onc nccd know how |o assumc i|s poin| ol
vicw as |hc poin| ol vicw ol |hc Scll. And hcrc is |hc crux ol |hc problcm: how |o
lc| vourscll bc invcs|cd wi|h al|cri|v wi|hou| |his bccomin a sccd ol |ransccndcncc,
a basis ol powcr, a svmbol ol |hc S|a|c, a svmbol, |ha| is, ol a svmbol.
Thc cncmv as immancncc
Il wc acccp| mv rccon|cx|ualiza|ion ol |hc conccp| ol Supcrna|urc, much ol wha|
|radi|ionallv lalls undcr |his rubric mus| bc lcl| ou|. Spiri|s" or souls," lor
ins|ancc, do no| bclon |o |his ca|corv, as such; cvcrv|hin |ha| pcrlorms |hc rolc
ol an|aonis| in |hc pcrspcc|ival war ol |hc worlds bccomcs" a spiri| or soul. Irom
|his pcrspcc|ivc, much ol wha| would no| normallv bc classcd as supcrna|ural (lor
usi, mus| bc |hus so rcdclincd.
Vc can |akc our carlicr cxamplc ol hun|in. Hun|in is, in a scnsc, |hc
suprcmc supcrna|ural con|cx|-lrom |hc pcrspcc|ivc ol bo|h animals (whcn |hc
hun|cr succccdsi and humans (whcn |hins o wron and |hc hun|cr bccomcs
IMMANLNCL AND ILAR | `9
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
prcvi. Varlarc and cannibalism arc o|hcr obvious con|cx|s |ha| can bc cons|rucd
as supcrna|ural." Thc analov bc|wccn shamans and warriors has ol|cn bccn
hihlih|cd in Amcrindian c|hnoraphics. Varriors arc |o |hc human world wha|
shamans arc |o |hc widcr univcrsc: commu|a|ors or conduc|ors ol pcrspcc|ivcs.
Shamanism is indccd warlarc wri| larc: |his has no|hin |o do wi|h killin as such
(|houh shamans ol|cn ac| as spiri|ual warriors in a vcrv li|cral scnsci, bu| ra|hcr
wi|h |hc commu|in ol on|oloical pcrspcc|ivcs; ano|hcr kind ol violcncc, a scll-
posi|ivizcd violcncc," in |hc words ol D. Rodcrs (2004i.
Indicnous warlarc bclons |o |hc samc cosmoloical complcx as shamanism
insolar as i| involvcs |hc cmbodimcn|, bv |hc scll, ol |hc cncmv`s poin| ol vicw.
Likcwisc, |hc in|cn|ion bchind Amazonian ri|ual cxo-cannibalism is |o incorpora|c
|hc subcc|-aspcc| ol |hc cncmv who, ra|hcr |han bcin shamanis|icallv dc-
subcc|ilicd as in |hc casc ol amc animals, is hvpcr-subcc|ilicd. Sahlins (198`: 88i
wri|cs |ha| cannibalism is alwavs 'svmbolic`, cvcn whcn i| is 'rcal`." Vi|h his lcavc
I rcwri|c |hc lormula |hus-all cannibalism is spiri|ual", cspcciallv whcn i| is
corporcal."
Thc subcc|ilica|ion ol human cncmics is a complcx ri|ual proccss. Sullicc |o
sav hcrc |ha| i| supposcs |hc complc|c idcn|ilica|ion ol |hc killcr wi|h |hc vic|im,
prccisclv in |hc samc wav as shamans bccomc |hc animals whosc bodics |hcv
procurc lor |hc rcs| ol |hc roup. Killcrs ob|ain crucial aspcc|s ol |hcir social and
mc|aphvsical idcn|i|ics lrom |hc pcrson ol |hc vic|im-namcs, surplus souls, sons,
|rophics, ri|ual prcroa|ivcs-bu| in ordcr |o do |his, |hcv mus| lirs| bccomc |hc
cncmv. A |cllin cxamplc ol |his cncmv-bccomin can bc lound in Arawc|c war
sons, in which a killcr rcpca|s words |auh| |o him bv |hc spiri| ol |hc vic|im
durin |hc ri|ual scclusion |ha| lollows |hc killin: |hc killcr spcaks lrom |hc
cncmv`s poin| ol vicw, savin I" |o rclcr |o |hc scll ol |hc cncmv and him" |o
rclcr |o himscll. In ordcr |o bccomc a lull subcc| (lor |hc killin ol an cncmv is a
prccondi|ion |o adul| malc s|a|us in manv an Amcrindian socic|vi, |hc killcr mus|
apprchcnd |hc cncmv lrom |hc insidc," |ha| is, as a subcc|. Thc analov wi|h |hc
pcrspcc|ival |hcorv, accordin |o which non-human subcc|ivi|ics scc humans as
non-humans and vicc-vcrsa, is obvious. Thc killcr mus| bc ablc |o scc himscll as
|hc cncmv sccs him-as, prccisclv, an cncmv in ordcr |o bccomc himscll," or
ra|hcr, a mvscll."
Thc pro|o|vpical manilcs|a|ion ol |hc O|hcr in Vcs|crn philosophical |radi|ion
is |hc Iricnd. Thc Iricnd is an o|hcr bu| an o|hcr as a momcn|" ol |hc scll. Il |hc
scll linds i|s csscn|ial poli|ical dc|crmina|ion in |hc condi|ion ol lricndship |his is
onlv bccausc |hc lricnd, in |hc wcll-known Aris|o|clian dclini|ion, is an o|hcr scll.
Thc scll is |hcrc lrom |hc s|ar|, a| |hc oriin, and as oriin. Thc lricnd is |hc
condi|ion ol al|cri|v back-procc|cd, as i| wcrc, undcr |hc condi|ioncd lorm ol |hc
subcc|. As Irancis Volll (2000: 169i rcmarks, |hc Aris|o|clian dclini|ion
supposcs a |hcorv accordin |o which cvcrv rcla|ion wi|h an O|hcr, and hcncc
cvcrv modc ol lricndship, linds i|s roundin in |hc rcla|ionship ol man |o
himscll." Thc social ncxus prcsupposcs scll-rcla|ion as i|s oriin and modcl. Thc
conncc|ion wi|h modcrn idcas ol propcr|v is obvious. To quo|c Marilvn S|ra|hcrn
quo|in somconc clsc quo|in vc| ano|hcr sourcc:
Davis and Nallinc (2001: 9i quo|c |hc obscrva|ion, lor ins|ancc, |ha|
wcs|crn propcr|v is bascd on scll posscssion as a primordial propcr|v
rih| which rounds all o|hcrs. This axiom holds whc|hcr or no| |hc
40 | Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
scll-ownin individual is ivcn in |hc world (bcin ul|ima|clv owncd bv
God, Lockci or has |o lashion |ha| condi|ion ou| ol i| (|hrouh i|s owns
s|rulin, Hccli. (S|ra|hcrn 2006: 2`n57i
Thc Iricnd, howcvcr, docs no| round an an|hropolov" onlv. Givcn |hc
his|orical condi|ions ol cons|i|u|ion ol Grcck philosophv, |hc Iricnd cmcrcs as
in|rinsicallv implicd in a ccr|ain rcla|ionship |o |ru|h. Thc Iricnd is a condi|ion ol
possibili|v lor |houh| in cncral, an in|rinsic prcscncc, a livc ca|corv, a
|ransccndcn|al livcd condi|ion" (Dclcuzc and Gua||ari 1991: 9i. Philosophv
rcquircs |hc Iricnd, philia is |hc cons|i|u|ivc rcla|ion ol knowlcdc.
Vcrv wcll. Thc problcm, lrom |hc s|andpoin| ol Amcrindian |houh|-or
ra|hcr, lrom |hc s|andpoin| ol our undcrs|andin ol |his |houh|, is |hc lollowin:
wha| docs a world whcrc i| is |hc loc, no| |hc lricnd, |ha| lunc|ions as a
|ransccndcn|al livcd condi|ion look likc. Tha| was, al|cr all, |hc rcal qucs|ion
bchind |hc |hcmc ol pcrspcc|ivism: il |hc conccp| ol pcrspcc|ivism" is no|hin bu|
|hc idca ol |hc O|hcr as such, wha| is i| likc |o livc in a world cons|i|u|cd bv |hc
cncmv's poin| ol vicw. A world whcrc cnmi|v is no| a mcrc priva|ivc complcmcn|
ol ami|v", a simplc nca|ivc lac|ici|v, bu| a dc urc s|ruc|urc ol |houh|, a posi|ivi|v
in i|s own rih|. And |hcn-wha| rcimc ol |ru|h can |hrivc in |his world whcrc
dis|ancc conncc|s and dillcrcncc rcla|cs.
Thc O|hcr has ano|hcr impor|an| incarna|ion in our in|cllcc|ual |radi|ion
bcsidcs |ha| ol |hc Iricnd. I| is consubs|an|ial |o a vcrv spccial, ac|uallv, a vcrv
sinular pcrsonac: God. God is |hc propcr namc ol |hc O|hcr in our |radi|ion
(in|crcs|inlv, |hc O|hcr"-|hc cncmv"-is onc ol |hc cuphcmisms lor |hc dcvil;
|his ocs a lon wav |o cxplainin how o|hcrncss is conccivcd bv usi. God is |hc
Grca| O|hcr, bcin a| |hc samc |imc |hc onc who uaran|ccs |hc absolu|c rcali|v ol
rcali|v (|hc Givcni aains| |hc solipsism ol consciousncss; and |hc Grca| Scll, |hc
onc who warran|s |hc rcla|ivc in|clliibili|v ol wha| is pcrccivcd (|hc Cons|ruc|cdi
bv |hc subcc|. God`s maor rolc, as lar as |hc dcs|inv ol Vcs|crn |houh| is
conccrncd, was |ha| ol cs|ablishin |hc lundamcn|al dividc bc|wccn |hc Givcn and
|hc Cons|ruc|cd, sincc, as Crca|or, hc is |hc oriin poin| ol |his dividc, |ha| is, i|s
poin| ol indillcrcn|ia|ion. I| is hcrc, I bclicvc, |ha| |hc |ruc Icar ol God oriina|cs-
philosophicallv spcakin ol coursc.
I| is |ruc |ha| God no loncr cnovs |hc limclih| ol his|orv (rumour has i| hc is
prcparin a |riumphal rc|urni. Bu| bclorc hc dicd, hc |ook |wo providcn|ial
mcasurcs: hc mira|cd |o |hc inncr sanc|um ol cvcrv individual as |hc in|cnsivc,
in|clliiblc lorm ol |hc Subcc| (Kan|`s Moral Lawi, and hc cx|criorizcd himscll as
Obcc|, |ha| is, as |hc inlini|c cx|cnsivc licld ol Na|urc (Kan|`s s|arrv hcavcni.
Cul|urc and Na|urc, in shor|, |hc |wo worlds in which Supcrna|urc as oriinarv
o|hcrncss dividcd i|scll.
Vcll |hcn, |o concludc. Vha| is |hc |ru|h rcimc propcr |o a radicallv non-
mono|hcis|ic world such as |hc Amcrindian worlds. Vha| is |hc lorm ol |hc Grca|
O|hcr in a world which is lorcin |o anv |hcolov ol crca|ion. I am no| rclcrrin |o
a world crca|cd bv |hc rc|rca| ol |hc Crca|or, such as our modcrn world, bu| a
radicallv uncrca|cd world, a world wi|hou| a |ransccndcn| divini|v. Mv answcr |o
|hcsc dillicul| qucs|ions, ivcn |hc spacc I havc |o dcvclop i|, will bc mcrcilullv
shor|, and will simplv rcpca| |hc is| ol cvcrv|hin I said so lar: |hc world ol
immancn| humani|v is also a world ol immancn| divini|v, a world whcrc divini|v is
dis|ribu|cd undcr |hc lorm ol a po|cn|ial inlini|v ol non-human subcc|s. This is a
IMMANLNCL AND ILAR | 41
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
world whcrc hos|s ol minusculc ods wandcr |hc car|h; a mvria|hcism," |o usc a
word coincd bv |hc Ircnch micro-sociolois| Gabricl Tardc, Durkhcim's licrccs|-
prccisclv-cncmv. This is |hc world |ha| has bccn callcd animis|, |ha| is, now |o usc
|hc |crms ol our inanimis| |radi|ion, a world whcrc |hc obcc| is a par|icular casc ol
|hc subcc|, whcrc cvcrv obcc| is a subcc| in po|cn|ia. Ins|cad ol |hc solipsis|ic
lormula I |hink, |hcrclorc I am" |hc indicnous coi|o mus| bc ar|icula|cd in
animis|c |crms, as in, I| cxis|s, |hcrclorc i| |hinks." Bu| |hcrc, whcrc on |op ol |his
|hc Scll is a par|icular casc ol |hc O|hcr, such animism" mus| ncccssarilv |akc |hc
lorm ol-il vou cxcusc |hc pun-an cncmism": an animism al|crcd bv al|cri|v, an
al|cri|v |ha| c|s anima|cd insolar as i| is |houh| ol as an cncmv in|criori|v: a Scll
|ha| is radicallv O|hcr. Hcncc |hc dancr, and |hc brilliancc, ol such worlds.


Rclcrcnccs
Alcxiadcs, Miucl. 1999. L|hnobo|anv ol |hc Lsc La: plan|s, hcal|h, and chanc
in an Amazonian socic|v." Ph.D. diss., Ncw York: Ci|v Inivcrsi|v ol Ncw
York.
Bcck, Ilrich. 1992. Risk Socic|v: |owards a ncw modcrni|v. London: Sac
Bcllcr, Joscph. 2006. Thc cincma|ic modc ol produc|ion: a||cn|ion cconomv
and |hc socic|v ol |hc spcc|aclc. Lcbanon, NH: Dar|mou|h Collcc
Prcss/Inivcrsi|v Prcss ol Ncw Lnland.
Bodcnhorn, Barbara. 1988. Vhalcs, souls, childrcn and o|hcr |hins |ha| arc
ood |o sharc: corc mc|aphors in a con|cmporarv whalin socic|v."
Cambridc An|hropolov 1` (1i: 1-19.
Carid Navcira, Miucl. 1999. Yawanawa: da ucrra a lcs|a." Mas|cr`s |hcsis,
PPGAS-IISC, Ilorianpolis.
Clas|rcs, Picrrc. 1989. Socic|v aains| |hc s|a|c: cssavs in poli|ical an|hropolov.
Transla|cd bv Robcr| Hurlcv. Ncw York: Zonc Books.
Crapanzano, Vinccn|. 200`. Imaina|ivc horizons: an cssav in li|crarv-
philosophical an|hropolov. Chicao: Inivcrsi|v ol Chicao Prcss.
Dc Civricux, Marc. 1985. Mcda|ia: a Makiri|arc shaman`s |alc." In Thc lanuac
ol |hc birds: |alcs, |cx|s and pocms ol in|crspccics communica|ion, cdi|cd bv
David M. Guss, 55-75. San Irancisco: Nor|h Poin| Prcss.
Dclcuzc, Gillcs, and Iclix Gua||ari. 1972. L`An|i-Gdipc. Paris: Minui|.
---.1991. Qu`cs|-cc quc la philosophic. Paris: Minui|.
Gow, Pc|cr. 2001. An Amazonian mv|h and i|s his|orv. Oxlord: Oxlord Inivcrsi|v
Prcss.
Hallowcll, A. Irvin. 1960. Oibwa on|olov, bchavior, and world vicw." In
Cul|urc in his|orv: cssavs in honor ol Paul Radin, cdi|cd bv S|anlcv Diamond,
19-52. Ncw York: Columbia Inivcrsi|v Prcss.
Howcll, Sinc. 1984. Socic|v and cosmos: Chcwon ol pcninsular Malavsia.
Oxlord: Oxlord Inivcrsi|v Prcss.
42 | Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
Kohn, Lduardo O. 2002. Na|ural cnacmcn|s and ccoloical as|hc|ics amon
|hc Avila Runa ol Amazonian Lcuador." Ph.D. diss., Madison: Inivcrsi|v ol
Visconsin.
Lambck, Michacl. 2007. Sacrilicc and |hc problcm ol bcinnin: mcdi|a|ions
lrom Sakalava mv|hopraxis." Journal ol |hc Roval An|hropoloical Ins|i|u|c
1` (1i: 19-`8.
Lcvi-S|rauss, Claudc. 2006. A oricm dos modos a mcsa. Sao Paulo: CosacNailv.
Malinowski, Bronislaw. 1922. Aronau|s ol |hc Vcs|crn Pacilic. London:
Rou|lcdc S Kcan Paul.
Mcdciros, Scrio, cd. 2002. Makunaima c Jurupari. Cosmoonias amcrindias. Sao
Paulo: Pcrspcc|iva.
Mcn|orc, Gcorc. 199`. Tcmpcrin |hc social scll: bodv adornmcn|, vi|al
subs|ancc, and knowlcdc amon |hc Vaiwai." Journal ol Archacolov and
An|hropolov 9: 22-`4.
Millcr, Joana. 2007. As coisas. Os cnlci|cs corporais c a noao dc pcssoa cn|rc os
Mamaindc (Nambiquarai." Ph.D. diss., Rio dc Janciro, Muscu
Nacional/IIRJ.
Pas|ourcau, Michcl. 1989. A vida co|idiana no |cmpo dos cavalciros da
Tvola Rcdonda. Sao Paulo, Cia. das Lc|ras/Circulo do Livro.
Rcichcl-Dolma|oll, Gcrardo. 197`. Dcsana. Lc svmbolismc univcrscl dcs Indicns
Tukano du Vaupcs. Paris: Gallimard.
Rodcrs, David. 2004. Ioil. Indillcrcncc, incompossibili|v and |hc complcxion ol
Ikpcn shamanism." Inpublishcd manuscrip|.
Ro|h, Val|cr. 1915. An inquirv in|o |hc lolk-lorc and animism ol |hc Guiana
Indians." `0|h Annual Rcpor| ol |hc Burcau ol Amcrican L|hnolov, 1908-
1909. Vashin|on D.C.
Sahlins, Marshall. 198`. Raw womcn, cookcd man, and o|hcr 'rca| |hins` ol |hc
Iii Islands". In Thc c|hnoraphv ol cannibalism, cdi|cd bv Paula Brown and
Donald Tuzin, 72-9`. Vashin|on D.C.: Socic|v lor Pvscholoical
An|hropolov.
Schicllclin, Ldward L. 1976. Thc sorrow ol |hc lonclv and |hc burnin ol |hc
danccrs. Ncw York: S|. Mar|in`s Prcss.
S|ra|hcrn, Marilvn. 2006. Dividcd oriins and |hc ari|hmc|ic ol owncrship." In
Accclcra|in posscssion: lobal lu|urcs ol propcr|v and pcrsonhood, cdi|cd bv
Bill Maurcr and Gabriclc Schwab, 1`5-7`. Ncw York: Columbia Inivcrsi|v
Prcss.
Tavlor, Annc-Chris|inc. 199`. Dcs lan|omcs s|upclian|s: lanac c| crovancc dans
la pcnscc achuar." L`Hommc `` (126-128i: 429-447.
Vilaa, Aparccida. 2002. Makin kin ou| ol o|hcrs in Amazonia." Journal ol |hc
Roval An|hropoloical Ins|i|u|c 8 (2i: `47-`65.
IMMANLNCL AND ILAR | 4`
2012 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 2 (1i: 27-4`
Volll, Irancis. 2000. L`c|rc, l`hommc c| lc disciplc: liurcs philosophiqucs
cmprun|ccs aux Ancicns. Paris: Prcsscs Inivcrsi|aircs dc Irancc.


Immancncc c| pcur. Lvcncmcn|s-c|rancrs c| suc|s cn Amazonic
Rcsumc : Cc| ar|iclc sc proposc d`cxplorcr lcs corrcla|s poli|iqucs dcs on|oloics
pcrspcc|ivis|cs amazonicnncs. A par|ir d`un rcci| mv|hiquc Taulipan por|an| sur
l`oriinc dc l`anus (|cl quc |ranscri| par Koch-Grnbcri, puis d`unc cxplica|ion
Nambikwarc dcs car|cs d`idcn|i|c brcsilicnncs (|cl quc rappor|cc par Joanna
Millcri, l`c|hnoraphic amazonicnnc nous pcrmc| dc pcrccvoir commcn| lcs
allcc|ions corporcllcs c| lcs rcncon|rcs spiri|ucllcs proc|cn| unc
conccp|ion par|iculicrc du pouvoir, dc la sociali|c c| dc la vcri|c.


Lduardo VIVLIROS DL CASTRO is Prolcssor ol social an|hropolov a| |hc Na|ional
Muscum, Inivcrsidadc Icdcral do Rio dc Janciro. Hc has bccn Simn Bolivar
Chair ol La|in Amcrican S|udics a| Cambridc Inivcrsi|v (1999-98i and Dircc|cur
dc rcchcrchcs a| |hc C.N.R.S. (2000-2001i. His publica|ions includc Irom |hc
cncmv`s poin| ol vicw (1992i, Mc|aphvsiqucs cannibalcs (2009i, and Thc
incons|ancv ol |hc Indian soul (2011i.