Author Description

Life and Culture of the YANOWAMO INDIANS is one of the few books ever written by a person who moved in with an Indian tribe at the time of their first contact with the outside world, was adopted as a member of the tribe, learned the culture by living it, and has returned repeatedly, keeping track of the changes in their lives, clear up to the present time. The Yanowamo, who live in the Amazon Rain Forest of South America, were known as one of the most warlike tribes of either North or South America, But unlike most other tribes, who were forced by the army and the government to rappidly make great changes in their way of life, the Yanowamo have never had any great changes forced upon them. They have changed, yes, but only when they, themselves decided that they wanted to accept ways that they observed in the lives of missionaries, soldiers, and others.