Parties, magnification and chieftainship among the Karajá from Araguaia river

Abstract

In this article I have the intention of showing that the strength that keeps the big villages together for the longest time is the production of festivals for beautiful children of prestigious families, the nobles. I believe that this phe­nomenon, conceived by the Karajá as the manifestation of the wealth of a family, is the basis for the maintenance of bigger political units. For that, I tried to demonstrate that the characteristics of the Amerindian chief, sug­gested by Pierre Clastres, are frankly correct, but they are insufficient to explain the maintenance of the greater villages. I would like to explain, precisely how, facing a great potential of fracture and fission, given the "centrifu­gal force" of the indigenous political machine, how the dawn and maintenance of larger villages is possible. My argument in this article is that it is possible through maintaining a joyful and peaceful life in the village. This is made possible through a continued production of festivals and public recognition of the beauty of the children.