THE TERENA AND THE CADUVEO OF SOUTHERN MATO GROSSO, BRAZIL OBERG 



41 



lost two wives, he could marry only a woman who 

 had lost two husbands. Even with all the pre- 

 cautions taken against the ghost, the influence of 

 death clung to individuals who had been inti- 

 mately connected with a dead person. Today, 

 burial is performed in a Christian manner al- 

 though some of the old women still mourn by 

 cutting their hair. 



MODERN CHANGES 



Today the whole cycle of events which mark the 

 important changes of status in individual lives 

 has been changed. Children are baptized, youths 

 go through confirmation, people are married, and 

 are finally buried by the Church. An important 

 period in the life of every young Terena is the 

 time he or she goes to school. It is in the school 

 that they learn, not only to read and write, but to 

 understand the religion, ways, and customs of the 

 people among whom they live. 



There are two schools in Bananal, one the official 

 Catholic school, the other, operated by Protestant 

 missionaries. The Protestant school was estab- 

 lished in 1925. Until 1935 studies were carried on 

 in the house of the chief. After this date a sepa- 

 rate schoolhouse was built. In 1936 the Indian 

 Service built the official Government school. The 

 curriculum is the same in both schools, being de- 

 termined by law. The religious teaching, however, 

 is different. The school year begins on February 

 15 and ends on November 15, winter holidays ex- 

 tending from June 15 to July 1. Classes begin 

 at 8 o'clock in the morning and go on until 11 

 o'clock with a 10-minute recess at 9 :30. 



The Protestant school today has about 100 stu- 

 dents, with one American teacher and 3 'J'erena 

 girls as assistant teachers. In 1936 the enroll- 

 ment reached 120. About 20 new students enter 

 each year. By law, students must attend school 

 for 4 years. The three assistant teachers are 

 in charge of the first 3 years, the missionary 

 teacher instructing the advanced students in the 

 fourth year. In the first 2 years the students buy 

 only a slate and a few exercise books and pencils. 

 In the last 2 years they have to buy textbooks. In 

 the first 2 years they learn reading, writing, and 

 simple arithmetic. In the last 2 years courses 

 in geography, Brazilian history, grannnar, draw- 

 ing, and a little natural science is added. For 

 half an hour every morning teaching of the gosj^el 



is given. All Terena children are welcome at the 

 Protestant school irrespective of the religious 

 faith of their parents. Children receive medical 

 attention if they are ill and report their illness 

 to the missionaries. Boys and girls attend school 

 together, the teachers insisting that each child 

 be dressed in clean clothing. Outside of being 

 kept in after school, there is no other form of 

 punishment. 



The official Government school has an attend- 

 ance of about 37 students. The wife of the man- 

 ager of the Post acts as a teacher, with a Brazilian 

 girl as an assistant. The curriculum is the same 

 as at the Protestant school. The Terena prefer 

 to send their children to the Protestant school 

 because they believe they learn more and will finish 

 the 4-year course of instruction. Pupils tend to 

 leave the Government school as soon as they are 

 able to read and write a little. The Protestant 

 school also gives prizes to good students, consist- 

 ing of articles of clothing and books. 



The Protestant missionaries have established 

 schools in all the larger Terena villages. At 

 Ipegne there is a school with 80 pupils and at 

 Moreira a school with 50 pupils. The mission- 

 aries say that Terena children are industrious and 

 learn rather quickly. Yet, they say that no 

 Terena student has gone beyond the 4 years, even 

 when they have an opportunity in some of the 

 neighboring towns. Even at that, the present 

 status of education among the Terena compares 

 well witli the prevalent illiteracy in the rural areas 

 of Brazil. 



EELIGION 



RELIGIOUS BELIEFS 



The old Terena believed in a "High God," 

 Ituho'viche, in the culture hero twins, Yunkoyvr- 

 vakdi, and in such evil spirits as Vanomi, Voropi, 

 and Hihim%u)\e. Insofar as all things were be- 

 lieved to have a soul the Terena can be said to 

 have believed in animism. Magic was based on 

 the belief that certain plants, animals, and inani- 

 mate objects possessed powers which could be used 

 to bring about good or evil results. Shamanism 

 was highly developed and the spirits of dead 

 shamans were used by living shamans to influence 

 the affairs of men. Ghosts of the dead were feared, 

 as they were believed to cause death if permitted 



