The Tapayuna (autonym: Kajkwakratxi), also known as Tapayúna, Western Suyá and Beiço-de-Pau are an indigenous people native to the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Their population was around 167 in 2020.[1]

Tapayuna
Total population
167[1] (2020)
Regions with significant populations
Mato Grosso (Brazil)
Languages
Tapayuna language
Religion
Ethnoreligion[2]

Language

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The Tapayuna speak the Tapayuna language, a Northern Jê language closely related and mutually intelligible with the Kĩsêdjê language.[3][4][1]

History

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The Tapayuna historically lived on the Arinos River, in the Tapajós basin, between Juruena and Aripuanã.[5]: 34–5  They were decimated in mid-20th century as a result of numerous conflicts with Brazilian settlers, rubber tappers, and ranchers; it is estimated that their population declined 90% until reaching 41 individuals in 1969,[5]: 36–40 [6][7]: 9  which has been characterized as an ethnocide.[5]: 37–38  The surviving Tapayúna were then transferred to Xingu Indigenous Park at some point between 1969 and 1970, resulting in 10 more deaths.[6] At first, they stayed with the Kĩsêdjê, speakers of a closely related language.[5]: 41–2  Later, many Tapayúna moved to Terra Indígena Capoto-Jarina, where they went on to live with the Mẽtyktire subgroup of the Kayapó people, speakers of another Northern Jê language, Mẽbêngôkre.[5]: 42–3 

Society

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The Tapayuna are generally monogamous; however, the pajé is allowed to marry two women. After marriage, a Tapayuna man must take up residence in his father-in-law's house.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Tapayuna". Povos Indígenas no Brasil (in Portuguese). Instituto Socioambiental. 2011.
  2. ^ People Groups - Tapayuna of Brazil
  3. ^ Rodrigues, Cíntia Karla Coelho (2011). "Comparando as consoantes das línguas Tapajúna e Suyá". Alfa: Revista de Linguística. 55 (2): 601–11. doi:10.1590/S1981-57942011000200011.
  4. ^ Santos, Ludoviko Carnasciali dos (1997). Descrição de aspectos morfossintáticos da língua Suyá (Kĩsêdjê), família Jê (PDF) (PhD dissertation). Florianópolis: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.
  5. ^ a b c d e Camargo, Nayara da Silva (2015). Tapayuna (Jê): aspectos morfossintáticos, históricos e sociolinguísticos (PDF) (PhD dissertation). Campinas: Universidade Estadual de Campinas.
  6. ^ a b "Tapayuna". Povos indígenas no Brasil. Instituto Socioambiental. July 26, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  7. ^ Nikulin, Andrey (2020). Proto-Macro-Jê: um estudo reconstrutivo (PDF) (PhD dissertation). Brasília: Universidade de Brasília.