The Mbyá indigenous people protect the valuable Atlantic rainforest
The native Mbyá tribe belongs to the Guaraní population group, which is one of the indigenous peoples of South America. They speak a variant of Guaraní and usually also speak Spanish or Portuguese. This is due to the fact that the approximately 25,000 Mbyá live in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil.
The Mbyá already colonised the Argentinian region of Misiones in the north-eastern Argentinian border area 20,000 years ago. It is estimated that around 9,000 Mbyá live in the Argentinian tip today. As in pre-Columbian times, they live as hunters, gatherers and planters. The Mbyá are basically a nomadic tribe. They move around the forest in search of food and medicine. However, the forest areas are becoming smaller and smaller. As a result, their habitat and food sources are severely restricted. Accordingly, plant cultivation is now an important part of their livelihood. They cultivate many different types of maize as well as beans, manioc, sweet potatoes and melons in a very small area.
Living with the forest while conserving resources
The Mbyá cultivate a very environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Each person should only use as many resources as they really need. Their world view and spirituality are completely focussed on living in and with nature. They believe that humans, animals and plants are interdependent: They live with and from each other. Accordingly, the Mbyá see themselves as equal to all organisms in the forest. This also means that no species may over-exploit or unjustifiably harm another. In addition, all animal and plant species have a protector in the spiritual world of the Mbyá.
The Mbyá have lived in accordance with nature for thousands of years and protect the biodiversity of the jungle. As experts in the subtropical rainforest, they use the flora and fauna as a source of food and medicine.
Mbyá medicine is based on a holistic view of people and their health. The life purpose to be fulfilled also plays an important part in the individual diagnosis. The Mbyá then utilise the diversity of secondary plant substances and their effects for medicinal purposes. Thanks to the enormous natural diversity of species, their utilisation is wider than that of European folk medicine.
Together in an open and equitable community
The former nomadic folk live in an open community. The composition of the group can change again and again. They traditionally build their houses from palm poles. They weave the walls from bamboo and insulate them with loamy earth. They cover the roof made of logs with palm leaves. Increasingly, boards and corrugated iron are also being used.
The Mbyá discuss upcoming community decisions intensively in meetings. Everyone is invited to attend. Women and men are treated equally. The discussion is led by the person who is the head – known as the Mburuvicha. They generally only make decisions the following day.
Decisions that affect the entire Mbyá people are made at Aty Assemblies. The Mburuvicha of the various communities meet to find cross-community solutions in processes lasting two to three days.