In March 2017, an exhibit called Amazonia: The Rights of Nature was brought to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. This exhibit explores the lifestyles of some of the indigenous peoples living in the Amazon. The exhibit highlights the people’s ability to live a “well-adjusted life with the land,” meaning that they rely on the land for their water, food, shelter, and other necessities (Museum). Amazonia: The Rights of Nature exhibit focuses on acknowledging the threatened resources of the Amazon due to “industries such as oil and gas, mining and logging… agricultural and cattle businesses, and hydroelectric plants,” and also notes that by informing ourselves of these issues, we “can be a part of the change” (Museum). While walking through the exhibit, it was evident that there were many beautiful objects spread out around the room, including headdresses, necklaces, crowns, and ear decorations. The objects that I was automatically drawn to were the Yanomami baskets (shown below). 

The Yanomami people are a group of indigenous people who live on the border between Southern Venezuela and Northern Brazil (Yanomami). They live in scattered villages, in houses made of vines and leaves, and grow, gather, and hunt their food (Yanomami). The Yanomami baskets are woven out of palm fibres and decorated with charcoal and berries by the women (Yanomamo). There are many different kinds of baskets, but the two most used basket shapes are the flat/tray basket, usually used for the household, and “burden baskets,” which are made to carry materials and foods, and are carried using a strap that “fits around the forehead, while the basket rests on the back like a backpack,” making the basket easier to carry (Yanomamo). The exhibit holds a selection of four different Yanomami baskets, three flat baskets and one carrier basket. Each basket in the MOA exhibit also decorated with either concentric circles, curvy lines, and/or dots.

Making these baskets is a traditional task and art for the Yanomami women (Basket). The Yanomami women often take pride in the tightly woven baskets that they design and create (Basket). These women are usually proud of each other and honour each other for the hard work and effort that they put into every single one of the baskets that they weave, and often sell the baskets to produce money for their villages and families (Basket). Although women are “inferior to men” in the Yanomami culture, the feeling of contribution through performing their “household family duties” may make these women feel proud of themselves for their dedication and expertise (Perez).

In Yanomami society, the men often beat their wives (or other females in their lives) “if they do not perform their gender roles properly” and do not respect what they do or who they are (Perez). It is a crucial aspect in all societies to respect all genders. Although we, as a Western society, have achieved some gender equality goals, we still have a long way to go. It is clear that our society is starting to create changes through the Me Too Project and the hundreds of Women’s Marches around the world last year. In the beginning of 2018, women’s rights movements gained momentum with the Time’s Up Movement. There is also a Women’s March happening in Vancouver on Saturday, January 20, 2018. Please join and support women’s rights as human rights!

Sources:

“Amazonia: The Rights of Nature.” Museum of Anthropology, http://moa.ubc.ca/portfolio_page/amazonia. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

“Annatto.” Wikipedia, 17, Oct. 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annatto. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

“Me Too Project.” Facebook, www.facebook.com/themetooproject/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

Museum of Anothropology, University of British Columbia, http://moa.ubc.ca/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

Perez, Deanna. “The Yanomami Tribe – Group 8.” blogspot, theyanomami.blogspot.ca/2014/07/gender-issues.html. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

Timesupnow. 2017, www.timesupnow.com/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

“Women’s March 2018 on Vancouver Official.” Facebook, //www.facebook.com/events/133329334129570/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

“Yanomami.” britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/Yanomami. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

“Yanomami Baskets.” arte-amazonia, www.arte-amazonia.com/shop/amazon-baskets/yanomami-baskets/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

“Yanomamo Indians.” indian-cultures, http://www.indian-cultures.com/cultures/yanomamo-indians. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

“2017 Women’s March.” Wikipedia, 18 Jan. 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Women%27s_March. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.