CjRAMlXrAE 



Bambusa sp. 



Collect.: Davis & Yost 1027. 



Waorani Informant: Tomo (m). Upriver dialect: n.v. oona 



This bamboo grows to a height often meters both on low river 

 flats and the slopes of steep clay hills. The internode length makes 

 it ideal for dart holders and flutes. Pieces of the stem provide 

 improxised knives. 



Setaria vulpiseta (Lam.) R. et S., Syst. 2(1817)495. 



Collect.: Davis & Yost 947. 



Waorani Informant: Geque (m). Downriver dialect: n.v. gage 



This common grass grows to a height of 2.5 meters in open 

 sunlight around clearings and house sites. The inflorescence 

 serves as a paint brush to decorate the body with winca (possibly 

 Genipa sp.) and caca (Bixa Orel/ana). 



Zea Mays L., Sp. PI. (1753) 971. 

 Collect.: Davis & Yost s.n. 

 n.v. cagingo 



Mai/e, although a relatively minor food crop of the Waorani, is 

 important because it is the first cultigen to be ready to harvest in a 

 new garden. Informants from the more isolated regions claim that 

 in past generations maize held a far more significant role than any 

 other food crop, but this changed when plantains became 

 successful. 



Undetermined specimen of Gramineae 



Collect.: Davis & Yost 946. 



Waorani Informant: Geque (m). Downriver dialect: n.v. y^mingo 



This unidentified bambusoid grass grows commonly in the 

 primary rain forest. The flowers are conspicuous with dangling 



bright yellow anthers. 



The Waorani carefully split the new shoots vertically and use 

 the exposed edges as a knife to cut the umbilical cord of a 

 newborn infant or as an improvised knife to butcher an animal 

 killed in the forest. 



171 



