of other genera are also used to a lesser extent” (Heinen and 
Ruddle 1974: 116). : 
In South America, the Indians recover starch from at least 
four genera of palms: Syagrus, Copernicia, Mauritia, and 
Manicaria, the most important being Syagrus and Mauri- 
tia.” Syagrus Romanzoffianum and Copernicia cerifera are 
exploited for sago by the Tupi-speaking Guayaki Indians of 
Paraguay and by several Guaranian and non-Guaranian 
tribes of the Gran Chaco. Mauritia flexuosa and Manicaria 
saccifera are utilized for sago recovery by the Warao Indians 
of the Orinoco Delta in Venezuela and in the adjacent east- 
erly regions of Guyana. 
Syagrus Romanzoffianum, the Paraguayan coconut or 
queen palm, has a southeasterly distribution in South Amer- 
ica, where it is known by its Guarani name pindo. The Gua- 
yaki call the palm toi (tdi, tdi) and refer to its sago as kraku 
(Cadogan 1960). Because of the many uses to which its 
different parts are put, Syagrus Romanzoffianum plays an 
outstanding role in the lives of the autochthonous and rural 
populations of this part of the New World. In fact, for the 
different Indian tribes of the area it represents probably the 
most important economic plant of their environment. 
The extraction of sago from Syagrus Romanzoffianum 
and Copernicia cerifera is known to be practiced in South 
America by such tribes as the Guayaki, Mbya (Caingua), 
Kaingan, Toba, Lengua, and Chamacoco. But it is highly 
probable that this practice was diffused much more widely 
in earlier, pre-agricultural times. Writes Vellard (1934-35: 
240-241) concerning the Guayakti: 
. it is the flour extracted from the pindo palm (Cocos Roman- 
zoffiana) which, along with the game and honey, constitutes their 
basic diet. . . . To prepare the flour . . . the Guayaki cut open the 
trunk with an axe. The fibers are pounded and crushed on the 
spot with the help of an old piece of bow or with the back of 
the axe, then they are roughly strained on a square frame with 
loose straw or lamellas of bamboo bark. After being moistened 
with water the flour is used for making cakes which are eaten raw 
or dried near the fire. 
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