Houston Museum of Natural Science

Spirits and Headhunters: Vanishing Worlds of the Amazon

October 9, 2009 – January 10, 2010

Karaja Feather Mosaic Headdress

Today, the Amazon is one of the world's most diversified regions, encompassing the rainforests of northeastern South America and the vibrant cultures of approximately 200 Indian tribes. Invisible to modern society, some of these are the last people of the new world who retain their pre-conquest culture. As they become more well-known, their recognition as great artisans of feather ornaments grows. Spirits and Headhunters: Vanishing Worlds of the Amazon celebrates ceremonies and rituals of passage unique to these indigenous people.

Inspired by ancient cosmology, mythology, and ecological knowledge, the ceremonies represented in this exhibit include initiation and funerary rites, shamanic practices and social visiting. The ceremonial regalia and objects in this exhibition illustrate the unique artistic expressions of each tribe, utilizing materials available from their immediate environments: wood, cloth, fiber, and feathers. Marvel at vibrant headdresses, full-body costumes, body decorations, furniture and ceramic objects from the following tribes.

Tribes and rituals represented in the exhibition:
Urubu Kaapor: Tal hupi naha, name-giving ritual
Karaja: Initiation into adulthood ritual of men
Tapirape: Initiation of shamans, moieties singing contests and rituals for the dead
Xingue area tribes: Kuarup rituals for the dead, initiation into adulthood of women
Kayapo: Name-giving rituals
Ticuna: Moca Nova, initiation into adulthood of women
Shuar: The shaman's place in society
Shipibo-conibo: Healing rituals, and the Ani Shreati, the annual social gathering

Admission to Spirits and Headhunters: Vanishing Worlds of the Amazon requires the purchase of an additional ticket. CityPass guests interested in this special exhibit can purchase tickets at the museum: Adults, $15, and Children, $10. Please visit the Houston Museum of Natural Science Web site for more detailed information.