Mentore, George

Santos-Granero, Fernando

English

Trinity University

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of LowlandSouth AmericaISSN: 2572-3626 (online)Volume 4Issue 1 Special Issue in honor of Joanna Overing: In theWorld and About the World: Amerindian Modes ofKnowledgeArticle 1May 2006Introduction: Amerindian Modes of KnowledgeGeorge MentoreUniversity of Virginia, gm3c@Virginia.EDUFernando Santos-GraneroSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute, santosf@si.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/tipitiPart of the Anthropology CommonsThis Introduction is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Trinity. It has been accepted for inclusion in Tipití: Journal of theSociety for the Anthropology of Lowland South America by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Trinity. For more information, please contactjcostanz@trinity.edu.Recommended CitationMentore, George and Santos-Granero, Fernando (2006). "Introduction: Amerindian Modes of Knowledge," Tipití: Journal of theSociety for the Anthropology of Lowland South America: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 1.Available at: http://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/tipiti/vol4/iss1/1Tipití (2006) 4(1&2):3–7      © 2006  SALSA   3ISSN 1545-4703                   Printed in USA   Introduction: Amerindian Modes of KnowledgeGEORGE MENTOREUniversity of Virginiagm3c@virginia.eduFERNANDO SANTOS-GRANEROSmithsonian Tropical Research Institutesantosf@si.edu	 This	collection	of	essays	on	Amerindian	modes	of	knowledge	attempts	to	build	upon	the	architecture	of	ideas	present	in	the	intellectual	endeavors	of	Joanna	Overing.		It	is	the	result	of	a	conference	organized	by	her	students	and	held	at	the	University	of	Virginia	on	November	28	and	29,	2005	to	celebrate	her	tutelage	and	the	trajectory	of	her	anthropological	thoughts	since	the	publishing	of	Reason and Morality	in	1985.		Not	in	any	way	to	diminish	 the	 influence	 of	 her	 wide-ranging	 scope	 of	 research	 interests	and	projects,	 the	 topic	of	 indigenous	modes	of	knowing	 seeks	 rather	 to	find	a	common	ground	upon	which	her	students	could	pay	tribute	to	her	innovative	thoughts	and	teaching.	 The	contributors	to	Reason and Morality argued	persuasively	against	the	 existence	 of	 a	 universally	 valid	 notion	 of	 rationality.	 	They	 favored	instead	the	concomitance	of	multiple	theories	about	human	thinking	and	knowledge.		They	questioned	the	very	idea	of	an	amoral	“truth”	and	the	autonomy	of	“facts”	disarticulated	from	value—main	tenets	in	our	Western	concept	of	rationality.		They	alternatively	proposed	that,	in	non-Western	societies,	 ideas	about	rationality	cannot	be	extricated	from	their	systems	of	morality	nor,	indeed,	from	the	creative	aspects	of	metaphoric	thinking.	Thus	 grounded	 in	 different	 ontological	 and	 metaphysical	 assumptions	about	 the	 world,	 non-Western	 theories	 of	 knowledge	 may	 possibly	posit	different	connections	between	mind,	body,	soul,	and	emotions.		By	continuing	the	focus	of	inquiry	on	native	Amazonian	peoples’	modes	of	knowledge,	 this	current	collection	of	essays	 further	elaborates	upon	and	adds	to	some	of	these	propositions.	 The	charge	 to	our	essayists	began	with	 the	request	 to	be	suggestive	about	 the	 relations	drawn	between	knowledge	 and	 such	other	 elements	as	 power,	 truth,	 being,	 emotion,	morality,	 beauty	 and	 even	monstrosity.	The	 implication	 being	 that	 these	 served	 as	 valuable	 discursive	 paths	 or	streams	along	which	a	wholly	different	configuring	of	subjectivity	and	its	1Published by Digital Commons @ Trinity, 2006         George Mentore & Fernando Santos-Graneroparticular	articulation	with	the	body	could	be	considered.		Perhaps	from	such	analysis	it	might	be	determined	how	these	relations	can	deliver	the	societies,	polities,	economies,	and	religions	within	which	indigenous	living	takes	place.		Even	in	the	tangled	interface	between	the	local,	national,	and	transnational,	 as	well	 as	 between	 the	 traditional	 and	 the	modern,	 some	space	must	be	given	to	analyzing	the	production	of	indigenous	ontologies	and	epistemologies,	or	at	least	to	the	taken-for-granted	ideas	about	being	and	knowledge	lodged	inside	these	terms.		The	tension	between	modern	nation	states	and	indigenous	modes	of	knowledge,	as	well	as	the	effects	of	the	latter,	manifest	themselves	regularly	in	Amazonia.		Different	forms	and	contents	of	time	and	space,	hence	of	identity	and	property,	all	challenge	each	other	in	the	contested	terrains	of	knowledge.		In	this	collection,	we	think	 that	 the	 reader	may	 agree	 that	 our	 essayists	have	presented	 some	interesting	and	intriguing	options	upon	which	to	contemplate.			 A	single	generalizing	principle	persists	in	the	bringing	of	knowledge	into	 the	world.	 	Constituted	wisdom	 brought	 into	 human	 existence	 to	make	itself	and	the	world	knowable	must	first	locate	and	be	registered	by	the	body.		This	is	true	even	in	those	cases	in	which	meaningful	knowledge	is	conceived	of	as	being	attainable	only	through	the	agency	of	noncorporeal	dimensions	of	self.		Be	it	while	in	sleep,	in	song,	in	sex,	in	death,	or	in	the	culinary	arts,	knowledge	about	the	experiential	world	possesses	the	body	so	as	to	be	brought	into	its	substantive	state[ment]s.		As	becomes	apparent	in	this	volume,	Amerindian	examples	proliferate	in	their	diversity	of	this	principle.		We	have	grouped	these	examples	into	five	sections,	according	to	the	different	aspects	of	Amerindian	modes	of	knowing	emphasized	by	the	contributors.			 The	first	section,	devoted	to	the	“Poetics	of	Knowledge,”	deals	with	the	multiple	ways	 in	which	bodily	processes	 and	 sensory	 life	 interrelate	in	the	production	of	particular	ways	of	knowing.		Joanna	Overing	argues	that	 Piaroa	 social	 consciousness	 and	 moral	 reasoning	 can	 be	 crafted	into	 knowledge	 forms	 by	 sensory	 processes	 engaged	 with	 achieving	 an	aesthetics	 of	 action.	 	Through	 the	 analysis	 of	 two	 contrasting	 narrative	genres,	sublime	and	grotesque	realism,	she	explores	the	oppositional	and	complementary	connection	between	the	upper	and	lower	bodily	processes	in	the	acquisition	and	loss	of	creative	knowledge.		Elsje	Lagrou	argues,	in	turn,	that	among	the	Kaxinawa	laughter	and	grotesque	humor	constitute	important	 dimensions	 of	 the	 ritual	 knowledge	 necessary	 to	 engage	 the	productive	forces	of	nonhuman	beings	and	thus	ensure	human	fertility.		If	power	incites	laughter,	she	claims,	laughter	has	its	own	power.	 The	second	section,	“Disembodied	Senses,”	addresses	the	issue	of	the	nature	and	complex	relationship	between	bodies	and	souls	in	Amerindian	2Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South Americahttp://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/tipiti/vol4/iss1/1                                Introduction         thought.	 	Through	 an	 examination	 of	 Yanesha	 noncorporeal	 modes	 of	sensing	 and	knowing,	Fernando	Santos-Granero	 contends	 that	whereas	meaningful	 knowledge—i.e.,	 knowledge	 acquired	 from	 extraordinary	beings—is	always	embodied,	far	from	being	the	cause	of	knowledge,	bodies	are	 caused	 by	 knowledge.	 	 Calling	 for	 a	 renewed	 anthropology	 of	 the	senses	in	Amazonian	studies,	he	proposes	a	critical	revision	of	the	theory	of	Amerindian	perspectivism.		Also	placing	emphasis	on	the	nonbiological	reality	 of	 knowledge,	 Dan	 Rosengren	 proposes	 that	 individual	 identity	and	self-awareness	among	the	Matsigenka	are	not	functions	of	corporeal	shape	but	of	social	 interaction,	 insofar	as	they	are	fashioned	by	the	very	particular	historical	conditions	and	personal	trajectories	that	influence	the	development	of	each	individual’s	soul.		Consciousness	has	little	to	do	with	physiology	 but	 is	 rather	 the	 product	 of	 social	 interaction.	 	 Following	 a	somewhat	different	track,	Guilherme	Werlang	suggests	that	the	ambiguous	relationship	 between	Marubo	 bodies	 and	 souls	 does	 not	 preclude	 their	immanence	to	human	beings	and	the	periodic	transformation	of	bodies	as	the	result	of	the	agency	of	cosmic	souls	both	within	and	without	humans.	Marubo	 ontology,	 like	 saiti	 songs-myths,	 has	 to	 do	 as	 much	 with	 the	creative	powers	of	“gods”	as	with	the	creative	powers	of	“souls.”			 In	the	third	section	on	“Embodied	Knowledge,”	the	authors	discuss	the	multiple	ways	in	which	“in-corporated”	and	“ex-corporated”	knowledge	induce	a	variety	of	bodily	transformations.		Calling	for	the	development	of	an	Amazonian	hematology,	Luisa	Elvira	Belaunde	explores	the	central	place	of	blood	in	Amerindian	notions	of	knowledge	and	gender.		Drawing	from	 a	 large	 number	 of	 examples,	 she	 contends	 that	 blood—being	 the	locus	 of	 thoughts,	 spirits,	 and	 strength	 as	 well	 as	 the	means	 by	 which	knowledge	 flows	 throughout	 the	 body—both	 unites	 and	 differentiates	men	 and	women.	 	 In	 the	other	 extreme,	 focusing	on	death	 rather	 than	life,	Sylvia	Caiuby	Novaes	examines	the	importance	of	ritual	knowledge	in	 the	 “de-facement”	 and	 “re-facement”	 of	 the	 deceased	 in	 Bororo	funerary	rituals.		Such	transformations	involve	not	only	the	bodies	of	the	deceased,	but	also	their	souls,	 their	ritual	representatives,	and	even	their	social	 relationships.	 	Alan	Passes	 tackles	 the	 relationship	 between	 body	and	knowledge	from	a	different,	original	angle.		He	argues	that	Pa’ikwené	mathematical	metaphors,	rooted	in	being	able	to	perceive	and	experience	the	 geometry	 of	 touch,	 can	 extend	 such	 knowledge	 out	 into	 the	world	without	the	restrictions	of	graphic	reductionism.			 The	 fourth	 section,	 “Knowledge	 in	 Practice,”	 dedicates	 its	 analysis	to	 the	direct	processes	 for	 sustaining	normal	daily	 life.	 	 In	 the	work	by	Carlos	D.	 Londoño	 Sulkin,	 “true”	 and	 “beautiful”	Muinane	 knowledge	must	“dawn”	in	well-behaved	children,	the	healing	of	diseases,	and	in	the	3Introduction: Amerindian Modes of KnowledgePublished by Digital Commons @ Trinity, 2006         George Mentore & Fernando Santos-Graneroproduction	of	foodstuffs	and	ritual	substances.		A	primary	relation	exists	between	human	will	and	its	effects	as	materialized	words	whose	content	transforms	 the	 immorality	 of	 sickness	 and	misfortune.	 	The	 content	 of	spoken	words	here	draws	upon	the	logic	of	mimesis,	similarity,	or	(what	has	been	famously	called)	“sympathetic	magic.”	 	Robert	Storrie	presents	the	Hoti	 experiential	 knowledge	 of	 fearfulness	 as	 the	 strategic	 emotion	for	 administering	 political	 life.	 	 	 Particularly	 in	 its	 capable	 lightness—that	 produces	 the	 porosity	 and	 permeability	 characteristic	 of	 the	 stage	between	waking	and	sleeping,	 life	and	death—the	weight	of	the	human	body	offers	the	heightened	sensibilities	for	negotiating	the	power	terrains	of	the	material	and	spiritual	worlds.		To	have	fear	among	the	Hoti	is	to	be	human,	 but	 to	have	 such	 fear	 induced	by	 another	who	goes	 beyond	the	awe	of	the	sublime,	to	exercise	dangerous	intent,	destroys	the	moral	egalitarian	framework	of	everyday	life.		In	his	piece,	John	Renshaw	focuses	upon	the	curing	function	the	shamanic	singing	voice	performs	among	the	Ayoreo,	but	he	 intriguingly	adds	 the	pragmatic	questions	of	how	and	 if	such	techniques	achieve	their	ends	when	compared	to	Western	biomedical	techniques.	 	He	 identifies	 an	 interesting	 set	 of	 ideas	 from	 the	different	interpretations	given	to	time,	order,	and	the	body.	 In	the	fifth	and	final	section,	we	explore	the	“Politics	of	Knowledge,”	that	is,	the	ways	in	which	knowledge	is	generated	within	the	frame	of	complex	political	relationships	and	gets	used	for	a	variety	of	political	purposes,	thus	defining	and	shaping	 the	political	field	 itself.	 	According	 to	Peter	Gow,	the	Piro	voice	in	song	defies	Western	historicity	and	hence	any	attempt	to	use	the	past	in	an	agenda	to	codify	modern	nationalism	and	statehood	as	the	only	self-evident	truths	about	political	identity	and	geography.		While	written	histories	appropriate	events,	places,	and	emotions—making	them	retrievable	 in	 the	present,	 future,	 and	wherever	 their	 archival	 forms	can	be	housed—indigenous	songs	keep	such	histories	only	for	the	voice	and	its	democracy	of	heard	knowledge.		In	turn,	George	Mentore	argues	that	Waiwai	fractal	being	relies	upon	knowing,	as	embodied	experience,	their	recursive	counting	system,	which	brings	unit	and	aggregate	into	unison	for	lateral	visibility.		Notions	of	embodiment,	self,	and	person	directly	inform	the	relation	between	knowledge	and	power.		The	contrast	and	comparison	here	between	indigenous	Amerindian	and	modern	Western	ideas	of	being	serve	 to	 shed	 light	 upon	 the	 different	 styles	 in	 which	 political	 power	becomes	distributed	and	exercised	to	obtain	obedience.				 It	is	our	hope	that	this	compilation	of	essays—in	tribute	to	our	teacher	and	 her	 scholarship—should	 encourage	 the	 desirable	 result	 of	 making	Amerindian	 modes	 of	 knowledge	 critically	 relevant	 and	 substantive	to	 dominant	Western	 thought.	 	The	 least	we	 could	 hope	 for	would	 be	4Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South Americahttp://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/tipiti/vol4/iss1/1                                Introduction         the	 continuance	 of	 debate	 about	 the	 obvious	 contribution	 indigenous	knowledge	has	for	the	world	at	 large.	 	On	the	other	hand,	the	most	we	could	desire	would	be	that,	in	knowing	such	knowledge,	our	work	produces	the	effect	of	creating	greater	respect	and	tolerance	for	alternative	ways	of	being	human	in	the	world.	5Introduction: Amerindian Modes of KnowledgePublished by Digital Commons @ Trinity, 2006

Introduction: Amerindian Modes of Knowledge

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Introduction: Amerindian Modes of Knowledge

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