THE GUARANI ALTAR
The Pai Tavytera Rituals and the Altar (Mba’e Marangatu)
The Pai Tavytera have so many reasons for rituals that they carry out one almost every day, normally at sunset. The main ceremony is jeroky nembo, a sacred communal ritual directed by the shaman in which the whole community participates. The ritual includes use of the ceremonial objects, singing of prayers and dancing. Singing provides the group with spiritual and corporal energy and helps them maintain communication with the divine. While full of religious significance, this celebration also conserves and transmits cultural and social memory from one genera- tion to another. It is through these rituals that the Pai Tavytera fulfill their duties as guard- ians of the center of the world. Although the Mba’e Marangatus can
include many of the objects used in cer- emonies, from feathered headdresses and bracelets, to ceremonial instruments, Don Leonido’s donated altar included only some of the sacred items:
1. Mbaraka: maracas made of gourds adorned with toucan feathers and cotton. Each man owns one which is named through divination, and they are required to participate in cer- emonies. The maracas are kept in the Mba’e Marangatu hanging from the yvyra’i or ritual rods. “The mbaraka is to be used by people to pray and the yvyra’i, too,” says Don Leonido.
2. Yvyra’i: thin rods or batons that are distrib- uted to all male participants and are held in their left hand during ceremonies.
3. Takuapu: rhythmic bar made of takuara (bamboo or large reed). They are used exclu- sively by women who hit them on the ground to set the rhythm of the sacred songs. Says Don Leonido, “The takuapu is the instrument used exclusively by women, they do not use the yvyra’i; they have to have many takuapys ready, so women can use them as they arrive.” The altars also usually include a mimby, a
wooden flute used by men in the ceremonies. “The mimby,” says Don Leonido, “is to start the prayer. When it is blown, people know that the prayer will begin.”
26 AMERICAN INDIAN SPRING 2017
As Don Leonido explains, referring to the
altar by an alternate name, “The Yvyra Ma- rangatu needs to be accompanied by yvyra’i, mimby, takuapu; everything needs to be ready in order to bless the people when they arrive.” The donation also included Apyka, tradi-
tional benches used in ceremonies and social gatherings, and Uruku, designs with achiote. The ceremonies tend to begin early in
the night. They are led by the shamans, who are the mediators between the people and the gods. To contact the supernatural, the shaman begins, and is joined by the commu- nity, by singing, men rattling the mbaraka and women hitting the ground rhythmically with their takuapu. The shaman uses the com- munal singing-dancing-prayer combination as the instrument to contact their gods. The participation of the community assists him in reaching the divine. Don Leonido explains why the Pai Tavytera
wished to donate a piece of such cultural and religious significance: “I know many people don’t know how we
really live and taking this altar to the Museum we can show them our culture. That they know about our existence is of utmost im- portance to us. “I agreed to the Marangatu for the Muse- um so that everyone knows about our culture. For me it is important to have the Yvyra Ma- rangatu in this Museum in the United States because then our culture will be recognized in the United States. I am happy that many people could see our culture. That was the reason why I consented to the altar, so people know. I hope to go there [to the Museum] one day and be able to talk about our beliefs.” X
L. Antonio Curet is an archaeologist who specializes in Caribbean and Mesoamerican ancient history. He is currently the Curator of Archaeology at the National Museum of the American Indian-Smithsonian Institution.
Frank Weaver is a native Paraguayan filmmaker who resides in Florida. His project, the Solar Map Project on the rock art of the Amambay Hills, has led him to live and document the culture of the Pai Tavytera for several years.
The interview with Leonido Benitez Romero was conducted in Guarani by Osmar Valenzuela, the first Pai Tavytera to attend college. It was translated into Spanish by Rita Carolina, and into English by the authors of this article.
Ethnographic information was provided by Stella Isabel Gonzalez de Olmo.
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