The Origin Of Mankind

In the beginning, when the world did not yet exist, a woman known as Yebá Buró, or the Grandmother of the World, gave birth to five Thunder Men. They were supposed to create future humanity, but they failed.

So she created the Great-Grandson of the World, Yebá Gõãmu, and later his brother; Umukomahsu Boreka. The two brothers and the Third Thunder set out to create future humanity and for this, they took all the riches they possessed. The Third Thunder turned into a large snake and descended to the bottom of the Lake of Milk. This snake, also called the Canoe of Transformation, had the two brothers as commanders and moved like a submarine.

They built houses underwater, and in every place they stopped, they performed rituals with the riches they had brought. These riches transformed into people. After that, the brothers created the languages of the different groups that still live in the upper Rio Negro region today.

On their return, the Canoe of Transformation carried the humans to a waterfall. It was there that they set foot on land for the first time. Yebá Gõãmu, the Great-Grandson of the World, did not go to the land but gave rise to the chief of the Tukano, who was the first to descend from the serpent-canoe. Then came Boreka, the chief of the Desana, who descended. The third was the chief of the Pira-Tapuya, the fourth was of the Siriano, the fifth was the chief of the Baniwa, and the sixth to come out was the chief of the Maku.

The Great-Grandson of the World gave each of them certain objects and the power to be peaceful, to hold great festivals and to live well among many people.

The seventh to come out was the white man who had a shotgun in his hand. Yebá Gõãmu did not give him gifts but said that he would be a fearless person, who would wage war to steal the riches of others.

Title

The Origin Of Mankind

Themes

cosmogenesis

Emotions

awe | reverence | disappointment | determination | sorrow

Lesson

The birth of conflict and diversity in humanity stems from the varying gifts bestowed upon different people.

Animals

Snakes

Characters

Yebá Buró: Creator of beings tasked with forming humanity; Yebá Gõãmu & Umukomahsu Boreka: Responsible for the formation of humanity; Various tribal leaders: They emerge from the transformative rituals; The white man: Emerges last, with an espingarda and an inclination for war.

Special Objects

The Canoa de Transformação (Cobra): It's the vessel for creating humanity, transforming from the Terceiro Trovão; The espingarda: The gun that the white man carries.

Back-grounds

Underwater environment in Lago de Leite, a waterfall.

Source

Website: Povos Indígenas no Brasil Mirim - Mitologia Indígena - as told by the Desana. Collected for TALES by Carlos Lagoeiro; an actor, theatre maker and co-founder of the theater company Teatro Munganga, established in 1987 together with Cláudia Maoli.