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Xingu Native Ceremony
Kuarup Funeral Rite
Xingu Native Ceremony in
the Brazilian Amazon. Indigenous ceremonies and rituals not only serve to
reinforce roles and relationships within a culture, but intercultural as
well. The Kuarup Ceremony is a good example of a ceremony that functions to
maintain bonds between different cultures, and not only those within the
same culture. Although the Kuarup (Quarup) is principally a funeral rite for
Xingu Indians, it is also a celebration of life itself and includes elements
of rebirth. For example, young girls who have had their first menstrual
period since the last Kuarup participate. The young girls paint their bodies
and typically dance in the Ritual of the Flutes, following the flute player
with their eyes blinded or closed.
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