CRUZ DAS almas: a BEAZILIA]\" village — ^PIERSON 



119 



During the course of this study, there were col- 

 lected 109 other terms commonly used in the com- 

 munity and 32 place names, all of which would 

 appear also to be derived from Guarani or the 

 related Tupi, although their origin may not yet be 

 clearly established. 



A few terms in common use are probably Afri- 

 can in origin, their number being much smaller 

 than those derived from Indian languages. One 

 of these is a place name : Momhara. Other terms 

 include: 



bimibo, a large drum, used in the samba. 



bunda, buttocks. 



cabago, slang phrase for "hymen." 



catinga, unpleasant odor (also used as verb). 



fubil, maize meal. 



mandinga, black magic. 



The sexual vocabulary employed in the commu- 

 nity is extensive, reflecting tlie prominence which 

 sexual ideas, attitudes, and behavior assume in the 

 life of the inhabitants. Seventy words and 

 phrases of a slang character employed with sexual 

 connotation were noted being used by men in the 

 community. Among these words and phrases 

 were 11 terms for the penis, 6 for the vagina, 5 

 for the scrotum, 4 for the hymen, and 2 for the 

 anus. There are 3 words and 3 phrases used to 

 refer to the sex act. There are 6 terms for a prosti- 

 tute, 1 for masturbation, 3 for a man "whose 

 thought and action is dominated by sex," i terms 

 for a "passive" homosexual, 1 for an "active" 

 homosexual, and an additional term to refer to 

 both types. Six phrases refer to i^regnancy; two 

 to puberty in the female; two to strong sexual de- 

 sire in the female, and two to female frigidity ; and 

 one each to a woman "of easy viitue," the act of 

 seeking a sex partner, and a "sexually attractive" 

 woman. Of these slang terms and phrases, it is 

 probable that 10 are of Indian, and 2 of African, 

 origin. 



A number of gestures are commonly employed 

 in the community. Shrugging one or both should- 

 ers may mean Que Tne importa? (What is that 

 to me?), Isso wo me atinge (I haven't anything 

 to do with that), Ele que se arrange (It's up to 

 him), Fazer o que! (There's nothing else to be 

 done!), or Estou farto disso! (I'm fed up with 

 that!); in other words, it may signify resigna- 

 tion, refusal to assume responsibility, or irritation. 

 Affirmation is indicated by a nod, and negation by 



843805—51 9 



a shake of the head. An object is singled out by 

 pointing to it with the index finger, while the other 

 fingers are flexed. Height is indicated by holding 

 the hand at the distance in question from the 

 ground, palm downward and with the fingers ex- 

 tended. A given number is denoted by holding up 

 one's hand toward the person with whom one is 

 communicating and extending as many fingers as 

 correspond to the number. Either the palm or 

 the back of the hand may be turned toward the 

 person although, when the number is five, the 

 former position is more common. In case the 

 number is more than five, the movement is re- 

 peated as many times as necessary. 



Other gestures are commonly used in the com- 

 munity to signify: 



Eating (raising the right hand in front of the 

 mouth, palm inward, and opening and closing 

 the hand several times) . 



Drinking (repeatedly raising and lowering the 

 right hand in front of the face, with fingers flexed 

 and thumb extended in the direction of the 

 mouth). 



'•'Come herer (extending the right hand toward 

 the person in question, palm either inward or 

 outward, and opening and closing the hand rap- 

 idly). 



''Go away!-'' (holding the arm downward, with 

 the palm toward the body and fingers extended, 

 and pivoting the hand at the wrist, forcefully 

 and repeatedly pushing the fingers outward to- 

 ward the person in question) . 



^'"Somehody took if^ (placing the thumb of the 

 riglit hand on a plane surface and pivoting the 

 hand to the right, while closing the fingers) . 



An obscene gesture employed locally is similar 

 in form to that with a different meaning devel- 

 oped during World War II among air force per- 

 sonnel in the United States. A circle is made 

 with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. 

 Reference is to the anus and "passive" participa- 

 tion in a homosexual act. A similar gesture, 

 known as the banana, consists in placing the 

 wrist of the right arm in the bend of the flexed 

 left arm. Reference is to the male sexual organ 

 and "passive" participation in a homosexual act. 



Old/ is used to call to someone whose attention 

 one desires to attract, as also are Psiu! and 

 -0-0-0 ! 



