Population of South America. Peoples of South America: culture and traditions Traditions and customs of the Indians of South America

Traditions southern America

Traditions southern America. South America is a continent that is crossed by the equator, most of which is located in South hemispheres. IN America Portuguese conquerors brought their religion, customs, architecture, language.

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Peoples South America: culture And traditions

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Interesting traditions peoples South America| Guyana

Others are no less interesting traditions peoples South America. Beloved tradition Brazilians are carnivals, in which almost the entire population of the country takes part, dancing complex and colorful dances such as samba. These dances also show the fight...

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Traditions And customs peoples South America

Rituals are the main ones traditions peoples South America. For example, in Brazil, the marriage of young people must be consecrated in the church, and at the holiday itself there must be a “sorcerer” whose task is to help the young people protect themselves from the evil eye.

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Customs And traditions peoples South America. Those who...

TO traditions peoples southern America include rituals. For example, a marriage must be sanctified by the church, but a “sorcerer” is also invited to the celebration, who protects the young from the evil eye. Legends and the famous “cycle of Indian songs” became widespread, in...

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Moral traditions And customs South America

TO customs of people South America appropriate rituals. For example: A wedding must not only include an exchange of rings, signatures and stamps in the passport, but must also be consecrated in a church. They also invite a sorcerer to the wedding...

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Traditions South America| Unknown planet

Traditions South America. Carnival of Oruro: an ancient festival of music and dance (Bolivia). Ron VanFebruary 24, 2014February 24, 2014.Top three of the best and oldest carnivals in Latin America includes the Oruro carnival (Diablada), considered the most important by the inhabitants of Bolivia...

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Traditions southern America Culture South America Indians

Impossible to describe the population South America using only criteria of ethnic origin. It is too much of an oversimplification to describe Guyanese society as one of various racial groups. Terms like Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese...

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Topic 4.2 Customs And traditions peoples South(Latin)...

Work on the topic: Traditions And customs. Chapter: Topic 4.2 Customs And traditions peoples South(Latin) America. University: VLGAFK.Cultures and ethnicities South America in postcolonial eras. Convergence processes rituals And traditions influenced by European culture.

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Indigenous people South America

Check-in South America man ended later than other continents - only 12-15 thousand years ago. It is impossible to say unambiguously how the continent was populated. Most likely, the person entered America from Asia. This happened during the Late Paleolithic - about 35...

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Peoples South America: culture And traditions

The culture of the ancient Indians. Peoples South America: culture And traditions.Customs And traditions played a huge role in the life of almost every Indian people who lived on the territory of the South American continent in ancient times.

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Interesting customs And traditions different countries - Around the World

Number of continents – 6: Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Antarctica.4. Also among the Chinese there are no custom bring flowers to the mistress of the house.20. Not in Japan traditions handshakes. There it is customary to greet each other with a polite bow.

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Population South America(7th grade) – accommodation on the mainland...

Mainland population South America. Racial composition of residents South America very complex, and this is due to the peculiarities of the history of the development of the continent. More than 250 different peoples and nationalities live here, who have been in contact with each other for many years...

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Cultures South America - abstract

The brightest representatives of civilization South America became the Incas, who created a huge Empire on the territory of modern Peru with its capital in the city of CuscoLiterature and art of countries South America. South American countries have rich traditions music.

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American culture: traditions And customs USA

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Customs southern America- articles, poems and publications

Customs southern America. Search results for articles, poems and publications in the House of the Sun. America, America- the country where the Ku Klux Klan is. America, America- They pray for money there. Why are you white people America found.

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Customs And traditions📝 peoples South America. Those who

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South America. World cults and rituals. Power and strength...

Indigenous people South America connected such rituals with sexual relations, which affected the nature of the rituals. South America- a vast territory whose indigenous population is astonishingly diverse.

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The most unusual traditions And rituals peoples of the world

South America. Another interesting greeting custom can be observed in South America. They spit on each other. Italians also have unusual traditions And customs. So, it is customary for them to throw all unnecessary things and old things out of the windows.

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Customs And traditions peoples South America. Those who...

At the moment South America- a continent with a population of more than three hundred million people, the number of which is constantly increasing. The result of such a rapid and rather bloody settlement South America– the variegated ethnic composition of the mainland.

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Geography: Customs And traditions peoples South America.

Traditions And customs northern peoples of Africa. Report on the topic customs And traditions peoples of Kuban. Please write the main ones customs And traditions different peoples.

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Customs And traditions USA - abstract

Customs And traditions USA. Due to the size of the country and the multinational “emigrant environment” of the United States, it is unlikely that it will be possible to identify any single one. Many people are confused by the American tradition place a comma between every three decimal places of whole numbers and a period...

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Ecuador: culture, national characteristics

Today, South America is a continent with a population of more than three hundred million people, whose population is constantly increasing. Due to the difficult circumstances of the history of the “conquest” of America, there is a complex and multinational ethnic composition in which racial characteristics are significantly mixed.

Tribes of ancient Indians came to the South American continent more than 20 thousand years ago from North America, gradually settling throughout the continent. Then, in the 16th century, the era of European colonialism began, first the Portuguese and Spaniards arrived here, and a little later immigrants from other European countries - Germans, British, French, etc. The indigenous population of the country - the South American Indian tribes - were brutally exterminated, their ancient culture was destroyed, ancient cities, temples and sanctuaries were destroyed. In subsequent years, after most of the Indian people were thoughtlessly destroyed, a large number of blacks were brought from the African continent as slaves. The result of such a rapid and rather bloody settlement of South America is the variegated ethnic composition of the continent.

Indigenous people in the pre-Columbian era

At the time when the Europeans “discovered” the New World for themselves, the indigenous populations of both continents were at different stages of development, and if in the north of America the tribes collected mushrooms and berries and lived in a primitive communal system, then in the territory of Central and South America, the Indian tribes have already created states and entire civilizations, built class relations and created unique monuments of culture, science and architecture, which later became real phenomena and mysteries for all the scientific minds of the world

The tribes that lived east of the Andes hunted and collected gifts of nature, were at a fairly low level of development, and practiced the basics of a primitive communal system.

(An ancient vanishing tribe)

Highly developed Indian tribes who lived in the mountainous regions of the Andes and on the Pacific coast (modern territory of Colombia, Peru, Chile), they created here the first states with developed agriculture and livestock breeding, crafts, various applied arts and scientific knowledge developed here. These are the ancient civilizations of the Incas, Mayans, Chavin, Mochica cultures, etc.

The inhabitants of the extreme southern part of the South American continent, who lived on the archipelago of the Tierra del Fuego islands (the modern province of Argentina and part of Chile) - Fuegians, these are the Ona, Alakaluf, Yagan tribes, by the time of European expansion they were at a low level of development, wore animal skins, had stone and bone weapons, hunted guanacos (the ancestor of the domestic llama) and fished in the ocean on fragile boats made of birch bark.

(Men of the Amazon Valley Tribe)

A step higher in development were the Indian tribes who lived in the valley of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers in the center and north of the continent (tribes of the linguistic groups of the Arawaks, Caribs, Tupi-Guarani), who were engaged in hunting, weapons - bows and pipes with poisoned arrows (the famous poison curare), they grew corn, cassava, tobacco, cotton, a form of social organization - a clan community.

In the north of the Andes (modern Colombia) in the valley of the Bogota River, the Chibcha people organized the Indian state of the Chibcha-Muisca peoples with a fairly developed culture; within modern Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador there was a culture of the Quechua Indian tribe.

Culture and life of the ancient Indians

(Iroquois Tribe)

The most famous and studied in detail is the culture of the ancient Inca Empire or Tauntinsuyu (“four connected cardinal directions”), which was formed in the second century AD through wars of conquest, when one of the mountain tribes conquered vast neighboring lands, where tribes such as the Aymara and Keuar lived. , Huallacán, etc. and united them all into one powerful Inca state. In the 14th and 15th centuries, which marked the era of aggressive European colonization, the Inca Empire occupied vast territories of today's Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, parts of Argentina, Colombia and Chile. The specially built capital of the state is Cusco, the language is Quechua, the first ruler (Supreme Inca) is Manco Capac.

(Iroquois Warriors)

Like the Roman Empire, the main force of this power was the army; the entire people were engaged in providing it, regularly paying taxes to the treasury for its maintenance. Conquered peoples were allowed to believe in their own deities, but worship of the Inca's supreme sun god, Inti, was obligatory. The population lived in stone houses built from rocks such as limestone, basalt, diorite, etc. The houses of ordinary residents were simple and modest, but the houses of the nobility, priests and rulers were decorated with gold and silver plates. The architecture of the ancient Incas is distinguished by its severity and asceticism; palaces and temples are overwhelming with their power and grandeur; for their construction, huge monolithic blocks were used, tightly adjusted in size and not held together by any mortar. The ensemble of temples of Coricancha (“Golden Temple”) in the Inca capital of Cusco is the pinnacle of Inca architecture. It contained a golden altar and a golden disk of the sun god Inti; it was destroyed and plundered by the Spaniards. Nowadays the Cathedral of Santa Domingo is located on its ruins.

(Machu Picchu - ancient Inca city on top of a mountain overlooking the Urubamba River valley)

The ancient Incas were skilled artisans, they mined metal ores and knew how to process gold, bronze, and made amazingly beautiful jewelry, which was later melted down into gold bars and taken to Spain by the conquering conquistadors. The Incas did not have writing as such; it is believed that they transmitted and stored information using a special knotted letter “khipu”.

The entire population of the empire was divided into social classes and professions; the basis of the Inca social pyramid was the concept of aylyu, consisting of family clans that lived on the same land and cultivated it together, engaged in common livestock breeding and shared the harvest among everyone. The head of state was the One Inca - the supreme ruler and chief priest of the Sun god.

At the beginning of the 16th century, when the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro came to the lands of the Empire, due to an acute internecine struggle for power, it was already on the verge of collapse, was quickly conquered and plundered, and the ancient Inca civilization ceased to exist. Today all that remains of it are the ruins of the ancient city of Machu Picchu in the mountains of Peru.

Also, the Mayan and Aztec cultures are considered the most ancient civilizations on the territory of modern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, states of Latin America.

(Ancient Maya)

The Maya are the clearest example of the Indian pre-Culomb civilization, which remains a mystery and a scientific phenomenon to everyone today. It began its existence at the beginning of our era, and by the time the conquistadors arrived it was already in deep decline. This unique people, existing in Stone Age conditions and not knowing how to mine and process metal, not having means of transportation and animals for transporting goods, developed a surprisingly accurate solar calendar, had complex hieroglyphic writing, predicted eclipses of the Moon and the Sun, and calculated the movements of the planets. It was the Mayans who created unique masterpieces of construction art, which are still known throughout the world (the Mayan pyramids in the ancient cities of Teotihuacan, Cholula and Chechen Itza). The Mayan civilization died in the 11th century, even before the arrival of the conquistadors, who found the remnants of their former power; why this happened is still unknown.

(Temple of the Inscriptions of the Ancient Mayan Civilization - visualization)

The Aztec civilization existed in what is now Mexico between the 14th and 16th centuries AD. The capital of the ancient Aztec state was Tenochtitlan on Lake Texcoco, which was a huge city located on several islands in the middle of lakes, connected by dams. Excellent stone roads were laid everywhere, its streets were intersected by canals, stone palaces and temples were located in green gardens. The Aztecs were excellent woodcarvers, sculptors, craftsmen and jewelers. Unfortunately, the legacy of this ancient civilization has practically not survived to this day; only a few masterpieces, which miraculously escaped destruction at the hands of the Spanish conquistadors, found their way to Europe and became public knowledge.

Traditions and customs

Customs and traditions played a huge role in the life of almost every Indian people who lived on the territory of the South American continent in ancient times.

(Life of the ancient Mayans)

For example, the Mayans believed that the birth of a child was a sign of the special favor of the gods, especially the moon goddess; the priests chose the name of the child, calculated his horoscope and predicted the future. Among the Mayans, cross-eyedness was a sign of beauty; in order for a child to become cross-eyed, a bead was attached to his forehead, hanging over his eyes, which the child should look at more often. Also, with the help of a plank tied in front, the forehead lengthened and the head became flatter, this was required by the Mayan canons of beauty, and also required a high position in society.

The ball game was very popular; it was of a religious nature, carried out with great ceremonies and careful preparation.

One of the terrible and bloody rituals of this people was the ritual of sacrifice, when a human sacrifice was made to please some god, tearing out the heart and throwing the body from a high pyramid.

(Warrior of the ancient Inca tribe)

In the Inca religion there was a whole pantheon of gods: the creator of the world and all living things, Kon Tisci Viracocha, after him came the sun god Inti, Ilyapa - the weather god, the moon goddess - Mama Quilla and others. The Incas performed a great variety of religious and ritual ceremonies, subject to the agricultural calendar or dates dedicated to the life of the ruling royal family. Holidays and celebrations were held in the central square of the city of Cusco, which was called Uyakapata (“Sacred Terrace”), where the ruler’s palace was also located; after his death, it turned into a sanctuary, where the embalmed mummy of the deceased was located. The new Supreme Inca lived in another palace, built personally for him.

Modern life of the peoples of the South American continent

(Puno city in Peru)

The current population of South America is 387.5 million people. It is characterized by the predominance of mixed ethnic groups: mestizo (the result of mixed barques of Europeans and Indians), mulattoes (marriage of Europeans with the Negroid race), Sambo (marriage of Indians with the Negroid race).

In Colombia, Paraguay, Ecuador and Venezuela, mestizos predominate, descendants of mixed marriages between indigenous people (Indians) and Spanish settlers. In Peru and Bolivia the majority are Indians. In the states of central South America in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, the majority of citizens are of African descent, the minority are descendants of the inhabitants of the European continent. But most of them, especially those from Spain and Italy, live in Argentina and Uruguay. In Chile there are many immigrants from European countries such as Germany, England, France, Austria, Greece, Scandinavia, etc. The official language of most countries on the mainland is Spanish, in Brazil it is Portuguese, in Peru the Indian language Quechua is official along with Spanish.

What connects children all over the world with Indians? Chocolate, popcorn, chewing gum and the ability to run freely with battle cries across any space! All of the listed delicacies were invented by the Indians: popcorn, having discovered the ability to “self-explode” in maize grains, chewing gum from the juice of Hevea (rubber), the word “chocolate” was first heard from the lips of the Mayan tribe, and was invented by the Aztecs. The Aztecs discovered that if you crushed cocoa beans into a paste and added spices, you got a drink that was served only to the leader, because it was worth its weight in gold.

Despite such funny inventions, the eyes of an Indian are always sad, they are a sad people, and even when looking through photos in search engines you will rarely find a smiling representative of the indigenous population of America. But incredible natural depth and an amazing desire to preserve their history - this can be found in any Indian.

Indians today

Indians are settled throughout South and North America, from Alaska to Argentina, some of them live on reservations (example: the Navajo tribe), some are full citizens of the country (Mayans, 80% of the population of Guatemala), and others are still They live in the Amazon jungle (Guarani) and have no connection with civilization. Therefore, everyone’s way of life is different, but the traditions of raising children and relationships with adults are surprisingly preserved.

The Indians of North America are mostly Catholics and Protestants, the Indians of Latin America are mostly Catholics. For most Indians in South and Central America, pre-Hispanic beliefs were inextricably fused with Christianity. Many Indians maintain traditional cults. Nowadays, as a rule, these are theatrical performances accompanied by dancing in masks, including during Catholic and Protestant holidays.

Each tribe has its own dialects, many speak two languages, their own and English, but some tribes do not even have their own written language, so the most respected adults and beloved children in the tribe are the elders. They teach wisdom, preserve and tell stories and legends, know the intricacies of any craft - weaving carpets, making dishes, fishing and hunting. They monitor the observance of all rituals, and in wild tribes even the daily routine.

Life traditions

The Indians have preserved the tradition of sitting down, forming a circle, and sharing with everyone what is in their hearts. Some tribes gather in a circle on certain days, while others daily share everything that happened during the day, ask for advice, tell stories and sing.

Since childhood, a song is like air for an Indian; they can talk to nature through songs, express their emotions and convey the history of an entire people. There are ritual songs, holiday songs, and everyone in the Cofan tribe has their own song.

The same “FigVam” that Sharik drew on the stove from the cartoon “Prostokvashino” and that we build when playing Indians is not actually a wigwam, but a portable tipi dwelling used by steppe nomads.

A wigwam is a hut on a frame, covered with straw. Visually, this dwelling looks like a large haystack and is traditional for the Indians of North America. The tribes of the Amazon live in such wigwams or houses on stilts, covered with straw or leaves. Indian peoples on US reservations, for example, the Navajo tribes, who are closer to civilization, live in houses similar to our ordinary Russian log cabins or mud huts.

Let me point out that wigwams are usually built by women and children. In wild tribes, almost all work in the village is considered feminine - cooking, sewing, raising children, all agricultural work, searching for firewood. The man's task is to hunt, to learn military skills every day in order to confidently use a spear, a bow and a pipe with poisonous arrows. Because the necklace of jaguar fangs is a document, the only document of the Indians living in the jungle, certifying his fearlessness. Only boys become shamans; the shaman teaches many in the village and passes on his knowledge, but after his death, one of his young patients becomes a shaman, and not a student, because it is believed that along with the healing energy, all the knowledge of the shaman is transferred to the patient.

The main food is what is obtained by hunting, and in families that engage in farming, the main dishes are potatoes, porridge, rice, chicken, turkey and, naturally, all types of legumes, favorite dishes are pumpkin and corn. Sweet maple syrups and dried wild berries occupy a special place in the Indian diet.

"All children are our children"

Attitudes towards strangers vary among tribes, but “whites” are definitely unwelcome guests for all Indians. As for inter-tribal and clan relations, for example, for the Kofans, the concept of their own and other people’s children does not exist at all. Kofan parents take the name of their firstborn and use it until their wedding. Then they take the name of the next children who are not yet married. Studying family relationships in this case becomes a rather difficult task.

Natural Indian Parenting

Even those Indian women who live in large cities adhere to the natural course of childbirth. More often they give birth at home, sometimes in the presence of an obstetrician or in a hospital, observing the basic principles of natural childbirth - without caesarean section, stimulants and anesthesia. Tribes where the standard of living does not allow giving birth with the help of an obstetrician, much less in a hospital, childbirth takes place in the sand or in water, often a woman gives birth alone. Indians feel great affection for children and take great care of them. According to people who have studied Indian morals and customs for a long time, “the best character traits of Indians are revealed in the attitude of parents towards children.”

From birth, children are present during any parental activity; the baby is carried in a scarf, a manta (a special sling for carrying not only children, but also food, any things), or in a portable crib made of wood or reed made by the father.

According to the researchers, some tribes did not allow children to drink colostrum and gave breastfeeding only when a steady flow of milk appeared. Children always have access to milk; at any time of the day or night they are not denied feeding and drink their mother’s milk until the milk runs out. Even if an Indian woman has given birth to several children over the course of several years, the older ones are not weaned.

Indian women rarely punish their children, but they introduce them to work early, believing that there is no better way to learn about life. From an early age, children are taught that being noisy and loud is very bad, and that they must respect their elders. Therefore, Indian children are not capricious, not loud and not whiny, very independent and friendly.

Nothing is forbidden to children, and adults are so confident in them that nothing happens to children. The relationship between parents and children is so close that they are truly one. The kids themselves know what they need, and Indian parents allow them to get it and taste life, to live in unity with nature and its laws.

Now Indian “natural parenthood” is a whole science that gained popularity in America and Europe in the 70s. Jean Ledloff, who made an expedition to Indian tribes, was so amazed by what she saw that she devoted her entire life to studying Indian “methods” of raising children, wrote the book “How to Raise a Happy Child” and became the founder of the so-called “natural parenting”.

Before Ledloff, Dr. Benjamin Spock reigned in the world of pedagogy, everyone read his works and “raised children according to Spock” ​​- they fed by the hour, talked about the lack of connection between the child’s health and the type of feeding, did not spoil him, followed a daily routine, prohibited and restricted the child from many things , believing that a child should have authorities. The new theory of Jean Ledloff has turned upside down the idea that one needs to be strict and restrained with a child, wean him early, not indulge his whims, and set his own, adult rules. Ledloff watched the Indians and saw that everything was the opposite for them, and there were no happier children.

Indian supporters of “natural parenthood” adhere to the following basic rules:

Natural childbirth;

During the so-called “manual period” until the child learns to crawl, he can be in his mother’s arms as much as he wants. For this, slings or other devices that make carrying easier are used;

Frequent breastfeeding, at the request of the child, and for at least two years;

The presence of the child in all the affairs of the mother, and later the father, is important so that the child gets used to and observes the activities, socializes faster;

The Indians believe that there is no need to take too much care of the baby. Overly caring mothers teach us to treat the world with fear, as if there are many dangers in it and only them;

Most Indian languages ​​do not have words for time. Until old age, Indians know only the concept of “now.” As, indeed, are all the children of the world. Therefore, you need to treat their requests with understanding, without postponing until tomorrow or some “later”;

Don't criticize or compare children. Moreover, in front of everyone, in private, you can then tell him that some action is wrong and what it can lead to;

It is important to always come to the child’s aid, to be nearby so that he feels protection and love. This will give him confidence for life;

Indians treat all children's desires and actions with respect, which is taken as the basis for the “natural parenting” method.

Both boys and girls up to the age of five participate in family life helping their mothers; after five years, sometimes a little later, fathers begin to teach boys. From this moment on, the separation of the upbringing of boys and girls begins. Girls are taught to respect men, take care of them, and even be afraid of them. In many tribes, initiation rites are performed (girls at 13, boys at 15) when a child becomes an adult. Now these are ordinary holidays with ritual dances and songs.

Favorite games of Indians

Ball game- this is both football and a game similar to volleyball, where the ball is hit with the palms, elbows, and hips;

Flying kites- the Indians even have a holiday of kites, it takes place simultaneously with All Saints Day (Halloween), this is a joyful holiday (!) in memory of dead children. Indians have a very positive attitude towards death; children even play with it, acting out scenes of death. Kites on this holiday have their own characteristics - they are round, reach up to 6.5 meters in diameter and soar in the air for up to two hours.

Chunky- previously a game with a disc and a spear. A stone disk was launched into the sky and the players had to hit it with a spear. Now it's a game of rings and a pole: you need to catch as many rings thrown up on the pole as possible.

Puluk- a board game with chips for points.

Today in America it is fashionable to be an Indian. Indian schools are opening, many communities are opening to preserve the culture and traditions of this “sad people,” radio, newspapers, television in several dialects. Those who go to live in big cities have an inextricable connection with the reservations, return there and try to change the difficult situation. The first task is the opportunity to educate Indian children. All “white” teachers working in Indian schools note their intelligence and special disposition to the exact sciences.


Indian wisdom


When the last tree is cut down, when the last river is poisoned, when the last bird is caught, only then will you understand that money cannot be eaten.

In the first year of marriage, the newlyweds looked at each other and wondered if they could be happy. If not, they said goodbye and looked for new spouses. If they were forced to live together in disagreement, we would be as stupid as the white man.

You can't wake up a person who's pretending to be asleep.

The Great Spirit is imperfect. He has a light side and a dark side. Sometimes the dark side gives us more knowledge than the light side.

Look at me. I'm poor and naked. But I am the leader of my people. We don't need riches. We just want to teach our children to be right. We want peace and love.

Even your silence can be part of prayer.


Knowledge is hidden in every thing. Once upon a time the world was a library.


We don't want churches because they will teach us to argue about God.


Why do you take by force what you cannot take by love?


What is a man without animals? If all animals are exterminated, man will die from great loneliness of spirit. Everything that happens to animals also happens to humans.

One “take” is better than two “I will give.”

Don't walk behind me - I may not lead you. Don't go ahead of me - I may not follow you. Walk side by side and we will be one.

Truth is what people believe.


Even a small mouse has the right to be angry.


Strive for wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is the past. Wisdom is the future.

It doesn't take many words to tell the truth.

Love the earth. It was not inherited by you from your parents, it was borrowed by you from your children.

Everything in the World has its own song


Reflections of Indian Elders


“Peace... comes to the souls of people when they realize their interconnection, their unity with the Universe and all its forces, and when they realize that Wakan-Tanka lives in the center of the universe, and that this center is actually located everywhere, inside everyone from U.S".
(Black Deer [Hehaka Sapa], Oglala Sioux)

“Many people hardly ever feel the real earth under their feet, see plants growing except in flower pots, or find themselves far enough from street lights to catch the charm of a star-studded night sky. When people live far from the places created by the Great Spirit, it is easy for them to forget His laws.”
(Tatanga Mani (Walking Buffalo), stoney)


“Training is for everyone, not just Indians... White people have never wanted to learn before. They considered us savages. Now their understanding has changed and they want to learn. We are all children of God. The tradition is open to anyone who wants to learn.”
(Don Jose Matusuwa, Huichol)

“As elders, we in turn must show respect to our young people in order to receive respect from them.”
(Grace Ezek, Nisga'a)


“We create evil among us. We create it; and then we try to call him the devil, Satan, evil. But it is created by man. There is no devil. Man creates the devil."


“We have a biological father and mother, but our real Father is Tunkashila (Creator) and our real Mother is the Earth.”
(Wallace Black Deer, Lakota)

“The spiritual power that I serve is much more beautiful and much greater. We call it wisdom, knowledge, power and gift, or love. These are the four parts of spiritual power. And I serve them. When you serve this power, it makes your mind and spirit beautiful. You are becoming beautiful. Everything that Tunkashila (the Creator) creates is beautiful.”
(Wallace Black Deer, Lakota)


“Silence is the absolute stability or balance of body, mind and spirit.”
(Charles Eastman (Ohayesa), Santee Sioux)

“If you believe in something and you believe in it long enough, it happens.”
(Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)


“We are responsible for the condition of the Earth. We are the ones who are responsible for it and who can change it. If we wake up, it will be possible to change the energy. It is possible to change everything."
(Unbatz Men, Maya)


“People need to be responsible for their thoughts in order to learn to control them. It may not be easy, but it is possible."
(Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)

“Race and language don’t matter. Barriers disappear when people unite on a higher spiritual level.”
(Rolling Thunder, Cherokee)

“In the end, nature will teach.”
(Tom Porter, Mohawk)


Protection of projects Group I – Indians – indigenous people of South America. Ancient civilizations Indians Group II – Colonization of South America and its consequences Colonization Group III – The process of miscegenation. Geography of ethnic groups. The process of miscegenation Group IV – Customs and traditions of the peoples of South America. Customs and traditions of the peoples of South America


The indigenous people of South America are the Indians. They appeared here presumably thousands of years ago. Indian tribes were at different levels of development. They were engaged in hunting, farming, terraced slopes in the highlands, and built water pipelines. It was they who first began to grow potatoes, corn, tomatoes, pumpkins, beans. Ancient civilizations existed among the Incas (the territory of modern Peru). They built cities and powerful pyramids, processed metals, made fabrics, even performed craniotomy in the field of medicine, mummified the dead, and had knowledge of space. The development of writing is assumed (bean finds).










Consequences of colonization of the mainland. The conquest of the mainland by Spain and Portugal brought innumerable troubles to the indigenous people: the Indians were exterminated and pushed into the interior of the mainland, ancient civilizations were destroyed. But along with cruelty and greed, Europeans still contributed to the development of culture and spread Christianity.

The whole range of traditions of the sunny continent

The countries of South America are considered exotic among tourists. And local New Year traditions are as unusual, vibrant and original as the inhabitants of these southern countries.

On New Year's holidays, it is customary for large families to gather around the festive table, treat guests and drink magical Chilean wines, seasoned with toasts and congratulations. And later, at midnight, everyone leaves their houses and goes to admire the fireworks.

It is noteworthy that in these countries, where traditionally large families gather all generations of the family for the New Year, everyone honors the oldest members of the family. Grandmothers and aunties prepare traditional dishes. It would seem that everything is the same as ours, but the local mentality leaves its mark. And the New Year's celebration in South America takes place under the sign of the hot sun, gentle sea and summer abundance. So in all countries of the continent it is customary to swim in rivers, lakes, and public pools on the first day of the New Year. Different countries of South America decorate the festival with various “highlights” specific to their new year.

New Year in Argentina

This is how temperamental Argentines throw old and unnecessary things into the streets on New Year's Day. And on the last day of the outgoing working year, employees of institutions get rid of old documents, bills, calendars, and other paper trash. This is a kind of rite of purification and liberation. So in Buenos Aires, where there are most office buildings, sidewalks, streets around houses, and even the roadway are thickly covered with a fluffy layer of paper - just like snowdrifts. All sorts of incidents are associated with this tradition, because if you get excited, you can throw away your passport. Thus, the publishing house workers, who had become enraged, threw out the entire archive of one of the newspapers out the window.

New Year in Chile

On the eve of the New Year, Chileans go to the coast, where they celebrate the holiday, forgetting about business and worries. On New Year's holidays in Chile you can't swear; everyone tries to be as friendly as possible - even towards strangers. The local population is especially friendly during this period. It is customary to congratulate strangers you meet on the street on New Year. This makes the celebration heartwarming and joyful for everyone.

Since the population of Chile is multinational, there are some very bizarre New Year's traditions. Many ancient beliefs of the indigenous people are still revered by the inhabitants of this land. On Easter Island, for example, there is an unusual tradition - people here are looking for a “New Year’s” swallow’s egg. The one who finds it first is declared revered in these parts for a whole year. He becomes privileged, all the locals consider it an honor to invite him to visit. Such a guest brings good luck to the hosts.

The Chilean New Year's table is not complete without traditional festive dishes. The local cuisine is very hearty, aromatic, and mostly spicy. Here they drink traditional liqueurs and world-famous Chilean wines.

The most unusual New Year takes place in the small Chilean town of Talca. Since 1995, it has been customary here to celebrate the New Year at the city cemetery.

After the solemn church mass, after 23:00, the residents of Talka, together with the mayor of the city, solemnly go to the cemetery. There they visit the graves of their relatives - the city orchestra plays quiet classical music, dim lighting pours into the cemetery. A solemn and calm atmosphere reigns here. What an unusual image for the New Year!

This tradition appeared only 15 years ago, but has already swept the entire city - about 5,000 people. It was started by one family who wanted to celebrate the New Year at the grave

The Chilean Mapuche people used to celebrate the New Year on June 24th. Some unique ancient holidays of this nationality have been preserved in the country to this day. Once upon a time, on New Year's Eve (June 23), whole families of Mapuche people gathered around a large family fire and listened to stories from the older members of the family. At dawn it was customary to go to the nearest river or lake and wash there. This is how they cleansed the body and souls in order to meet the sun of the New Year renewed. The tradition of getting together with the whole family and swimming on New Year's Day has been preserved in Chile and throughout South America.

The ancient tradition of piercing the ears of six-year-old Chilean girls is a sign of their maturation.

New Year in Peru

Ancient traditions are also preserved in Peru. In the cities of Cusco or Machu Picchu, people still perform ancient Incan religious ceremonies. The Temazcal ritual is one of the most popular among tourists. A temazcal is a small wooden structure, a kind of hut, covered with fabric. It symbolizes the womb of Mother Earth. Entering Temazcal, a person seems to be born again, his spiritual aura is cleansed.

New Year in Paraguay

There are still real Indians living in the provinces of Paraguay. When the years change, the Indians open all the windows and doors in the house. They look out of windows and doors, go out into the yard and knock with dishes, the dishes break - but this is considered a good omen and promises a rich year.

New Year in Brazil

Beautiful traditions in Brazil. On New Year's Eve, the ocean beaches of Brazil are illuminated with thousands of candles. Candles stand in the sand, and at this time beautiful Brazilian women enter the water in long white dresses and throw flower petals into the ocean waves. Brazil is generally famous for the beauty of its holidays. And of course, the brightest New Year's parties take place in Rio de Janeiro. They take place right on the beaches and are accompanied by grandiose pyrotechnic shows.

Fire, in different versions, has always been part of rituals in all nations. Today, Brazilians have turned these rituals into colorful performances.

It is customary to wear white clothes at New Year's parties; white attracts good luck.

After midnight everyone runs to the ocean and jumps over the waves. You need to jump over seven waves and make a wish.

These are also echoes of pagan rituals. The goddess of the sea will help your wishes come true. All these traditions are the result of a mixture of African and Indian cultures that developed in Brazil and spread from coast to coast.

A funny tradition reigns in some Brazilian cities, for example in Sao Paolo and La Paz. On New Year's Eve it is customary to wear colored underwear. The color of the underwear symbolizes a person's wishes and hopes for the coming year. If a person expects the New Year to give him love, he wears red underwear. Yellow symbolizes wealth and career growth.