ENLACED AND INTERWOVEN CLOTHING FROM SOUTHERN ABYA YALA 1 VERNETZT VERSTRICKT VERWOBEN ANZIEHENDES AUS DEM SÜDLICHEN ABYA YALA © Museum Fünf Kontinente 2020 Enlaced and Interwoven. Clothing from Southern Abya Yala Clothing and adornment from various The origins of Latin American textile Guatemala and the Guna of Panama and resources. However, advancements times and regions are presented in traditions predate the European invasi- represent the visualisation of changing in human rights that were achieved in this exhibition room, illustrating the on by millennia, and are closely related identities in woven and embroidered the past decades are at stake today, aesthetics and artistic diversity of indi- to Latin America’s chequered history patterns. Clothing and jewellery of the and the increasing pressure on indige- genous creativity in Latin America. At and vibrant present. A small selection Mapuche tell of lasting resistance from nous communities has assumed a level the same time they represent ways to of pre-Columbian weaving products the time of Inca expansion to the colo- that once again threatens their exis- master the challenges posed by the en- gives an impression of their import- nial era and into the present. tence. vironment and by communal life. Clot- ance in long-ago times. The fusion hing can protect from cold and heat, of indigenous and colonial-European Many indigenous philosophers and This exhibition is intended to present it has the ability to either conceal its fashions, which at times has a tongue- activists have come to oppose the term examples allowing an impression of wearer from view or to attract glances, in-cheek undertone, is represented by “America”, which is criticized for being the diversity of “getting dressed”, and it can be either exclusive or inclusi- creations from the Andes of Bolivia and ethnocentric, with Abya Yala, “Land in of topics associated with dressing. It ve, and can indicate affiliation with a Peru. Colourful body adornments of the its Full Maturity”, a term borrowed from was planed and realized by a team of specific group. It has also the potential Kayapó in Brazil illustrate the diversity the language of the Guna in what is student guest curators in the context of to mirror world views, power relations, of standards applied to proper clothing. today Panama. The concept of Abya Yala a seminar at the Department of Cultural and economic situations, or to make The projection of religious mindscapes is setting the direction in terms of self- Anthropology of the LMU, in coopera- historical developments and processes onto wearable covers becomes visible in determination, human rights, and the tion with the Museum Fünf Kontinente. of negotiation visible. It is subject to textiles of the Peruvian Shipibo as well multifaceted responses of indigenous change while at the same time being a as in mask costumes of the Karihona communities to the encroachment of vehicle of continuity. of Columbia. Garments of the Maya of global markets on their environments 5 Body Adornment of the Mebêngôkre (Kayapó) The Mebêngôkre, commonly known by needs support, or permission, by others Elise Fittkau, inv. no. 10-332 945 Collector/collection: Ernst Josef and the name of Kayapó, live on the Río – and this means he or she needs to Elise Fittkau, inv. no. 10-332 987 Xingú in north-eastern Brazil. They are give something in return. In addition, ................................................ famous mainly for their public actions the materials used are believed to be d. Mussel-shell necklace of political protest, in which they imbued with power and attributes that Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Xingú, north- often appear with body painting and become transferred to the wearer of Beaded belt eastern Brazil, 1960–1993 wearing splendid items of adornment. the adornments. The rights associated Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Xingú, north- Mussel-shell fragments, palm-wood beads When colonisation began in the 19th with the adornments are thus regarded eastern Brazil, 1960–1993 Collector/collection: Ernst Josef and century they earned the reputation of as precious and as privileges. Not only Glass beads, cotton Elise Fittkau, inv. no. 10-332 991 being extremely aggressive, as they perfect craftsmanship is needed in ma- Collector/collection: Ernst Josef and were involved in many conflicts some king the adornments but also individual Elise Fittkau, inv. no. 10.333 045 e. Carrying sling of which were very bloody. Over the artistic creativity. Mekranotí, Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río years, they made use of that reputa- ................................................ Xingú, north-eastern Brazil, 1960–1993 tion in their rallies for preservation of ................................................ Buruti palm material, feathers, feather- the rain forests. They gained interna- a. Feather headdress quill sticks tional attention when leaders such as Xikrín, Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Xingú, Collector/collection: Ernst Josef and Raoni Metukire and Paulinho Payakan Headdress, àkkàti north-eastern Brazil, before 1965 Elise Fittkau, inv. no. 10-332 012 succeeded in uniting rival indigenous The headdress with long feathers is cal- Feathers, cotton groups and launched a global campaign led “large bird skin” (àkkàti). It is made Collector: Father Protásio Frikel f. Necklace with feathers against the Altamira Dam and for pro- of wing and tail feathers, which are all Collection: Ernst Josef and Elise Fitt- Xikrín, Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Xingú, tection of the rain forests in the early cut to the same length, of various spe- kau, inv. no. 10-332 932 north-eastern Brazil, before 1965 1990s. Celebrities such as pop singer cies of birds. For wearing, the feather Cotton, feathers, sticks, seeds, seed coats Sting supported them in their struggle. adornment is mounted on a horseshoe- b. Ear ornament Collector: Father Protásio Frikel Not only the Mebêngôkre gained publi- shaped support of palm-leaf ribs. It Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Xingú, north- Collection: Ernst Josef and Elise Fitt- city in that process but also their body may only be worn by specific persons eastern Brazil, 1960–1993 kau, inv. no. 10-332 010 adornments, whose manufacture and on clearly defined occasions. In former Wood, feathers, mussel shells, cotton use is subject to a strict set of rules. times people would wear the head- Collector/collection: Ernst Josef and g. Ring-shaped bracelets The right to make and wear specific dresses without being entitled to do so, Elise Fittkau, inv. no. 10-332 981 a, b Xikrín, Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Xingú, adornments, or to use the raw materials which gave rise to many quarrels. north-eastern Brazil, before 1965 needed to produce them, is bequeathed Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Xingú, north- c. “Necktie” Cotton, parrot feathers, cotton thread in a ritual way and to various persons. eastern Brazil, 1960–1993 Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Xingú, north- Collector: Father Protásio Frikel Hence, in order to gain permission to Feathers (hyacinth macaw and other birds) eastern Brazil, 1960–1993 Collection: Ernst Josef and Elise Fitt- wear a specific adornment an individual Collector/collection: Ernst Josef and Feathers, cotton kau, inv. no. 10-333 031 a, b 6 7 The objects from the Xikrín were pó, Río Xingú, north-eastern Brazil, Ear plugs are no longer very popular among acquired by Günther Protásio Frikel, a 1960–1993 Among the Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, ear young men. missionary and cultural anthropologist. Cotton thread, feather quills, Brazil nut and lip ornaments have profound Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Xingú, north- In 1962 he witnessed a process of rapid shells, collector/collection: Ernst Josef symbolic meaning that arises from eastern Brazil, 1960–1993 cultural change in a Xikrín village that and Elise Fittkau, inv. no. 10-133 090 a, b their concept of listening and talking. Wood had recently come into contact with Listening is equated with the absorp- Collector/collection: Ernst Josef and neo-Brazilians. While some Xikrín wan- tion and acquisition of knowledge. Elise Fittkau, inv. no. 10-132 978 a, b ted to maintain their distance, others Lip ornament This means that those who have heard adapted culturally to Brazilian society. The toucan beak is an ornamental something are people who have learned ................................................ This caused discord and led to splits object worn in the lower lip, and is something or know something. To open within many groups of the Mebêngôkre/ additionally fastened to the teeth children’s ears for the oral transmission 1. Mussel-shell necklace Kayapó. with reeds. Because of the absence of knowledge, their earlobes are pier- In a time-consuming process, the mus- of lip piercings it is nowadays mostly ced after they are born. These openings sel-shell pieces are ground into shape h. Bast-fibre bracelets clasped between the teeth like a pipe are repeatedly widened throughout on a stone and then threaded on cotton Kuben-Kran-Kêgn, Mebêngôkre/Kaya- stem. When men quarrelled at rituals in childhood; they are a symbolic second strings. It is important that the mussel- pó, Río Xingú, north-eastern Brazil, former days, they would break the beak auditory canal supposed to foster lear- shell discs are as uniform as possible. 1960–1993 and use it to scratch and injure the ning and knowledge. Wooden plugs are Such necklaces exist in various versi- Tree bast fibre, collector/collection: arms of their adversaries. usually worn in everyday life. Only in ons. To wear them, people need to hold Ernst Josef and Elise Fittkau, inv. no. Kuben-Kran-Kêgn, Mebêngôkre/Kaya- the context of special rituals are people specific ritual privileges that differ for 10-133 035 a, b pó, Río Xingú, north-eastern Brazil, allowed to wear plugs made of feathers the various types of necklaces. Rights 1960–1993 and mussel shells. to this kind of adornment are particu- i. Rattling belt Plant material, feathers, toucan beak The symbolic meaning of lip orna- larly rare and precious, and are thus Mekranotí, Mebêngôkre/Kayapó, Río Collector/collection: Ernst Josef and ments is similar.