22 



INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY — PUBLICATION NO. 10 



December to May, when the whole area, ex'cept 

 for small islands of high ground, becomes one huge 

 swamp, the mobility of the group is considerably 

 impaired. Consequently, at the beginning of this 

 cycle a stretch of high ground containing an 

 abundance of palm trees and wild fruits is selected 

 for occupation during the flood months, and the 

 wOd fruits are harvested as they mature. Such 

 hunting as is possible (considerable game is 

 attracted by wild fruits) is done, but fishing 

 becomes a negligible activity, since the waters 

 become turbid. The diet at this season of the 

 year consists principally of wild fruit and vegetable 

 food, and the band is a fairly cohesive social unit. 

 In sharp contrast to the sedentary mode of life 

 during the rainy season is its nomadic character 

 during the dry season. After the crops have been 

 harvested in April and May and after the waters 

 have begun to recede in June, the entire band may 



start out on a hunting and gathering expedition, 

 wandering from lake to lake, from stream to 

 stream, exhausting the wild life of each as it 

 travels. Consequently, meat, fish, and wild honey 

 become more prominent in the diet at this season 

 of the year, and the band becomes a loose social 

 unit. 



When the next rainy season arrives, the band 

 may return to the same spot occupied the year 

 before or it may move on to another. This 

 depends largely on the quantity of food available. 

 Having wandered for years over the same large 

 area, the Siriono possess many sites containing old 

 gardens, uruku trees, calabash trees, etc., to which 

 they may retm-n from time to time in their 

 wanderings. 



Table 1 is a calendar of the chief economic 

 activities carried out and the principal foods eaten 

 throughout the year. 



Table 1. — Calendar of chief economic activities and principal foods eaten 



Month 



Activities 



Foods eaten 



January... 

 February.. 



March 



April 



May 



June 



July 



August 



September, 

 October. . . 

 November. 



December. 



Hunting and collecting; little or no agricultural work; group usually 



sedentary because of the rainy season. 

 Hunting and collecting; harvest of maize planted in November; harvest of 



wild fruits begins; group sedentary because of rainy season. 



Hunting and collecting; no agricultural work; principal harvest of wild 



fruits: group sedentary because of rainy season. 

 Hunting and collecting; group still sedentary; harvest of wild fruits almost 



over; little or no agricultural work. 

 Hunting and collecting; harvest of chuchio begins; making of new arrows; 



group begins to be more nomadic; possible replanting of maize. 

 Hunting and collecting; extended families become more nomadic; hunting 



expeditions; fishing begins; harvest of chuchio terminated; almost no 



agricultural work; band as a whole may decide to migrate to other spots 



for better hunting and fishing. 

 Usually on the march; himting and fishing; no agricultural work 



Usually on the march; may return to eat camotes and fresh maize planted 

 in May; hunting, fishing, and collecting chief economic activities; drink- 

 ing parties occur because of abundance of wild honey. 



Usually on the march; bunting, fishing, and collecting; many drinking 

 parties. 



Hunting and collecting; clearing small plots for planting; during this 

 month the group usually selects a site to weather the rainy season. 



Hunting and collecting; most of the planting occurs in this month; maize, 

 manioc, cotton, and tobacco are sown; since agricultural activities are 

 limited, they interfere httle with hunting and collecting; fishing stops 

 because the waters begin to rise and become turbid. 



Rainy season begins in full force; no agricultural work; himting and col- 

 lecting are the only important activities; wild fruits have not yet begim 

 to ripen. 



Game; palm cabbage; motacfi fruits. 



Game; palm cabbage; motacl^ fruits; papaya; maize; some 



manioc; coquino; aguai; hindoera; gargatfia; pacfiy; 



pacobilla. 

 Game; palm cabbage; motacG fruits; papaya; maize; some 



manioc; coquino; aguai; hindoera; gargat^a; pac&y. 

 Game; palm cabbage; motacti fruits; papaya; coquino: 



aguai; little maize and manioc. 

 Game; palm cabbage; motacii fruits; httle manioc; maize 



and papaya. 

 Game; palm cabbage; motacii fruits: little manioc: maize 



and papaya; some fish and wild honey. 



Game and fish; palm cabbage: wild honey: motacti fruits; 



cusi nuts; some camotes. 

 Game and fish; palm cabbage; wild honey: camotes; maize; 



cusi nuts; motacu fruits; also a fruit called ndia. 



Game and fish; palm cabbage; wild bee honey; motacii 

 fruits: camotes: little manioc or maize; turtle eggs. 



Game: fish; palm cabbage; motacii fruits; some camotes; 

 httle manioc, maize, or papaya. 



Game; little fish; palm cabbage; motacu fruits; few other 

 vegetable products. 



Game; palm cabbage; motacii fruits; few other vegetable 

 products. 



