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Yine
Interviews
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Folk-art, Religion & Personal Stories |
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Interview with : Sra. Berta Laureano and her
niece
Interviewers :Iva Smutny/Anja Stijnen
Date : 30-June-01 (11:45 – 13:00)
Folk-art
Mrs. Berta Laureano makes ceramic vases. The clay she uses is a
mixture of two types of mud: the mud from Diamante and the mud from
Romero (a place inside the Manu National Park). The two clays are
utilized so the vase does not burst. To form the clay, a mold is not
used; instead it's shaped by hand. On the outside they apply a coat of
white mud or “clatal” in the Yine language. Then, it's shined with a
small round stone.
The vase is painted with a few different types of colored mud, the
brush is a small stick with fur tied on with cotton. Some of the
designs have symbolic meanings but not all. The vase is fired for
about two hours in the kiln. If it's done right, it comes out white.
While the vase is still hot, it's possible to apply the sugar
resin-applied so that the piece shines. If the vase cools the sugar
resin won't make the vase shine, but it you're able to use licha
instead it will still work even after the vase has cogged. The resin
is also applied on the inside.
Religion
According to Mrs. Berta there are two religions in Diamante:
Catholicism and Evangelicalism. The majority of the Yine people are
Evangelists, because the minister speaks Yine so he is understood
better. The Catholic priest speaks Spanish and the congregation cannot
always understand him. The Catholic church is located in the school,
while the Evangelists have their own church.
They believe in a few supernatural beings: these are neither the Devil
nor God.
• The “tunchi” is the soul of children or the elderly (“the weak”) who
die little by little.
• The bad wind, air, can also carry away children when they are left
alone.
• Another belief is that when a mother gives birth, the father cannot
kill snakes or else the child will become ill (will cry).
There aren't any sacred animals, however tigers and anteaters aren’t
edible (however one doesn't know since no one eats them)
There aren't sacred plants either, there is only one plant that has a
soul. If someone kills the “lupuna” (Ceiba sp. Forest tree) it will go
out at night to visit the killer. It doesn't inflect harm, it simply
visits the killer's house.
They believe in reincarnation. Your body dies but you go on like a
tiger, deer or tapir. These animals are killed because they are
considered evil. These souls can go to Heaven or Hell, but it´s
believed more that they go to Hell; the people drink a lot of alcohol
and God does not like that. Children who do not yet drink can go to
Heaven.
Personal History (20 minutes)
Mrs. Berta is from Miaria, a Yine community in Urubamba. In 1990, 14
years after Diamante was founded, she arrived to Diamante to live.
Before, her family didn't live in just one place. but rather they were
traveling around between Miaria and Diamante. The trip from Urubamba
to Diamante by foot and by river, lasts about a month. Finally they
decided to remain in Diamante.
The Trigoso and the Zorrillo have lived in Diamante since the
beginning. After the flood that wiped out the former Diamante, that
was located a bit lower than where the current Diamante is, it was
moved toward the north.
After they arrived to Diamante, Berta did not travel again, for
economic reasons: they wanted to construct a house.
Berta constructed the elementary school in Miaria. The professors
teach in the Yine language. There are no other subjects.
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