Yanomami Yanomami Social ChangeSocial Change

22

Culture ComparisonsCulture Comparisons Picchi: BakairPicchi: Bakairí as a í as a

““demographic success story”demographic success story” Is this “success” generalized among Is this “success” generalized among

indigenous groups across the Amazon?indigenous groups across the Amazon? Yanomami & Kayapó examplesYanomami & Kayapó examples

33

10,000 10,000 YanomamiYanomamilive in live in scattered scattered villagesvillages

44

Yanomami ShabonoYanomami Shabono

55

Slash & Burn HorticultureSlash & Burn Horticulture

66

1973: Transamazon Highway1973: Transamazon HighwayOnchoceriasis (African River Blindness)Onchoceriasis (African River Blindness) Carried by black fliesCarried by black flies Causes fibrous tumors Causes fibrous tumors

on skin & eyeson skin & eyes

Colonization ProjectColonization Project ““Land without people for Land without people for

people without land”people without land”

77

1975: Uranium Discovered1975: Uranium DiscoveredGold Mining, mercury Gold Mining, mercury

poisoningpoisoning

1982 Polornoroeste Development 1982 Polornoroeste Development Project (World Bank)Project (World Bank)

1000s of Poor Landless People Arrive1000s of Poor Landless People Arrive Measles, Flue, VD, MalariaMeasles, Flue, VD, Malaria 1988 – ¼ Yanomami had died1988 – ¼ Yanomami had died

FUNAI – Bureau of Indian AffairsFUNAI – Bureau of Indian Affairs

88

AAA Lobbied for a AAA Lobbied for a Yanomami ParkYanomami Park

1991 – Brazilian Government 1991 – Brazilian Government established a Yanomami established a Yanomami Reserve Reserve

Yet their lands continue to be Yet their lands continue to be invadedinvaded

99

““PROGRESS”PROGRESS”““AN AREA AS RICH AS THIS—WITH AN AREA AS RICH AS THIS—WITH

GOLD AND URANIUM, CAN NOT GOLD AND URANIUM, CAN NOT AFFORD THE LUXURY OF AFFORD THE LUXURY OF

CONSERVING HALF A DOZEN INDIAN CONSERVING HALF A DOZEN INDIAN TRIBES WHO ARE HOLDING BACK TRIBES WHO ARE HOLDING BACK THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRAZIL”THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRAZIL”

Policy of Integration & AssimilationPolicy of Integration & Assimilation Yanomami as “primitives” & an obstacle Yanomami as “primitives” & an obstacle

to “progress”to “progress”

1010

Napoleon Chagnon & Napoleon Chagnon & “The Fierce People”“The Fierce People”

1968

800,000 Copies

35 Years of Fieldwork

1111

Chagnon’s SociobiologyChagnon’s Sociobiology Wife-beatings, club

fights, axe fights, raids, perpetual warfare

Men who kill more enemies have more wives, more children

1212

Influence on government policyInfluence on government policy 1989 Deprived the Yanomami of land1989 Deprived the Yanomami of land Venezuela created 19 islands, Venezuela created 19 islands,

““To keep them from killing each other”To keep them from killing each other” 1999 “Venezuela bans U.S. 1999 “Venezuela bans U.S.

Anthropologist: Government accuses Anthropologist: Government accuses him of exaggerating violence in Stone him of exaggerating violence in Stone Age Native villages”Age Native villages”

1313

January 1999

1414

Darkness in El DoradoDarkness in El Dorado 2000 Terry Turner, 2000 Terry Turner,

Leslie Sponsel Leslie Sponsel email: “The email: “The impending scandal impending scandal is ‘unparalleled in is ‘unparalleled in the history of the history of anthropology’”anthropology’”

1515

Tierney’s Claims:Tierney’s Claims: Chagnon’s study organized by human Chagnon’s study organized by human

geneticist James Neelgeneticist James Neel Neel’s eugenics theory: dominant genes Neel’s eugenics theory: dominant genes

for “leadership” would have a selective for “leadership” would have a selective advantage; males would gain more advantage; males would gain more access to females & reproduce their own access to females & reproduce their own superior genes more frequentlysuperior genes more frequently

Chagnon’s research provided support for Chagnon’s research provided support for Neel’s theoryNeel’s theory

1616

The Measles Epidemic:The Measles Epidemic: Tierney: The researchers contributed to Tierney: The researchers contributed to

the deaths of Yanomami by administering the deaths of Yanomami by administering Edmonson BEdmonson B measles vaccine to measles vaccine to previously unexposed populationspreviously unexposed populations

This was part of an experiment to test This was part of an experiment to test Neel’s theoryNeel’s theory

1717

AAA 2000 Annual AAA 2000 Annual MeetingMeeting

Reactions of panel, audienceReactions of panel, audience Edmonson B RevisitedEdmonson B Revisited

Neel obtained 2000 doses of vaccine as a Neel obtained 2000 doses of vaccine as a humane act to prevent measleshumane act to prevent measles

Dr. Samuel Katz: Edmonson B Dr. Samuel Katz: Edmonson B cannot cause measlescannot cause measles

The epidemic began before the The epidemic began before the researchers arrived, brought by researchers arrived, brought by missionaries’ 2 year old child missionaries’ 2 year old child --17 Yanomami died--17 Yanomami died

1818

Tierney’s Book:Tierney’s Book: AAA Task force found the book “full of AAA Task force found the book “full of

false & misleading information, half-false & misleading information, half-truths, deception, and omissiontruths, deception, and omission

Unethical journalismUnethical journalism

1919

2003 AAA El Dorado Task 2003 AAA El Dorado Task Force:Force:

The American Anthropological The American Anthropological Association repudiates the accusations Association repudiates the accusations or insinuations of starting or abetting a or insinuations of starting or abetting a lethal measles epidemic by vaccination lethal measles epidemic by vaccination among the Yanomami made against the among the Yanomami made against the late James Neel and Napoleon Chagnon, late James Neel and Napoleon Chagnon, and recognizes the harmfulness of false and recognizes the harmfulness of false accusations regarding vaccine safety.  accusations regarding vaccine safety. 

2020

Anthropology on Trial (again)Anthropology on Trial (again)

Chagnon has been targeted for his Chagnon has been targeted for his theoretical viewstheoretical views

Yet clearly engaged in unethical behaviorYet clearly engaged in unethical behavior Medical testing without informed consentMedical testing without informed consent Name taboos in collecting genealogiesName taboos in collecting genealogies

He made his career on the Yanomami, He made his career on the Yanomami, yet remained insensitiveyet remained insensitive

2121

““Darkness in El Dorado was Darkness in El Dorado was produced by 100s of Years produced by 100s of Years of Colonialism and Abuse”of Colonialism and Abuse” ““The fierceness of the Yanomamo is The fierceness of the Yanomamo is

nothing compared to the terrible & nothing compared to the terrible & powerful violence being done to them by powerful violence being done to them by the outside world”the outside world”