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INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY — PUBLICATION NO. 9 



are put in and covered with soil and left for a 

 day or two ; when the oven is uncovered the tubers 

 are well baked. Candy is sometimes made from 

 sweetpotatoes by baking out the sirup. Sweet- 

 potatoes are also treated like manioc when there 

 are large quantities and it is feared they will 

 decay — the potatoes are grated, the water is re- 

 moved in a press, and the dry pulp is formed into 

 cakes and baked in an oven. 



Cara. — This yellow-skinned tuber, which looks 

 like a yam but tastes like manioc, can be planted 

 at any time of the year. It is used in soups and 

 stews made with dried meat. 



Beans. — The popular bean grown by the 

 Terena is a small reddish-brown variety, known 

 in Portuguese as "feijao miudo." This hardy 

 bean, which matures in about 4 months, can be 

 planted at any time of the year but does best 

 when planted at the beginning of the rainy season. 

 A creeping variety, known in Portuguese as 

 "feijao rasteiro," is also planted although it does 

 not grow well in this region. This variety of bean 

 is planted in March and harvested in June. Beans 

 are an important part of Terena diet and are eaten 

 boiled, if possible with a jiiece of fat pork. Like 

 the Brazilians, the Terena now eat boiled beans 

 with rice. 



Rice (nakati). — As has been mentioned, rice 

 is an unreliable crop in this region owing to the 

 uncertainty of rains. If the rains are heavy 

 enough some rice will be planted in the lowlands 

 surrounding Bananal. The planting period will 

 vary fi'om September to Januai-y or even Febru- 

 ary if the rains happen to be heavy in this month. 

 The rice grown is of the dry-land variety, sown 

 broadcast. 



The scientific terms for the varieties of rice 

 grown by the Terena were not obtained. They 

 use the local Portuguese terms for the rice they 

 grow, recognizing three varieties, namely, "cate- 

 tinho," "arroz grande," and "amarelo." If the 

 rains are sufficient, rice will mature in about 100 

 days after planting. Rice is harvested with a 

 sickle, and after the sheaves are dry the heads are 

 removed by beating the sheaf against the ground. 

 Rice is husked as required for household use in 

 the same wooden mortar used for husking maize. 

 Rice is eaten boiled in the Brazilian fashion or 

 boiled rice is made into cakes and baked. Some- 



times rice is also eaten in the form of thin por- 

 ridge. 



In addition to these principal crops the Terena 

 produce small quantities of pumpkins, onions, to- 

 matoes, red and green peppers, and garlic. 



Among fruits, mangoes, oranges, tangerines, 

 lemons, limes, guavas, and pineapples are impor- 

 tant. During December and January mangoes are 

 so plentiful in the village that not only people, but 

 horses, cows, hogs, and chickens, eat them. Ba- 

 nanas and plantains also form an important year- 

 round part of Terena diet. Among the bananas 

 that grow well in this region are the "nanica," a 

 small banana called "veia" and the "Siio Tome." 

 The plantain, which in Portuguese is called "ba- 

 nana de terra," is used boiled, fried, and dried. 



Tobacco. — This crop is grown to some extent. 

 Wlien the plant matures the leaves are picked, 

 rolled, and squeezed in a press to remove moisture, 

 then unrolled and left to dry. This process is re- 

 peated several times. When the leaves are finally 

 dry they are rolled into a cord about 1 inch in 

 diameter, the cord being coiled into a compact cyl- 

 indrical block about 12 inches in diameter and 12 

 inches high. This tobacco is sold to stores and is 

 retailed by the meter or centimeter. The Terena 

 use this type of tobacco for making cigarettes, 

 dried corn husk being used for rolling. They, 

 however, prefer cheap manufactured cigarettes to 

 the rather heavy, home-grown tobacco. 



Cotton. — The Terena still grow cotton, and it 

 is the special privilege of the women to sow the 

 seed. It is planted at the beginning of the rains. 

 The bolls are picked and the seeds are removed by 

 hand. Cotton is spun on a native spindle, con- 

 sisting of a 2-inch whorl on a stick about a foot 

 long. The Terena still use the traditional loom 

 already described. 



THE DAILY ROUND 



It is customary for the Terena to arise at dawn. 

 The first person up, whether man or woman, lights 

 a fire at the back of the house and puts a kettle of 

 water on the fire to boil. For awhile the fire builder 

 may fan the fire with a plaited "abanico," or fan. 

 While the water is heating the others get up and 

 all wash their hands and faces either by pouring 

 water into one hand or, more rarely, by washing 

 in a basin. Soap is used when it is available, but 

 towels are rarely used. 



