Who Are the Ticuna?
The Ticuna (Tikuna, Tukuna) are the largest indigenous group in the Brazilian Amazon, numbering approximately 50,000-60,000, with additional populations in Colombia (around 10,000) and Peru (around 8,000). They live along the Upper Amazon (Solimões) River and its tributaries, in the tri-border region where Brazil, Colombia, and Peru meet. They speak Ticuna, a language isolate with no known relatives. Originally inhabitants of the interfluvial forests, the Ticuna moved to the riverbanks after the decline of the previously dominant Omagua people in the colonial era. They are known for their elaborate masks and costumes used in the pelazón (hair-pulling) girls' puberty ceremony, their complex clan system, and their significant population recovery from near-extinction.
Clan System
Ticuna society is organized into patrilineal clans named after animals and plants—jaguar, eagle, hummingbird, egret, ant, various trees. Clans are grouped into two exogamous moieties: one associated with birds and "things with feathers," the other with "things without feathers" (land animals, plants). Marriage must occur between moieties—marrying within one's moiety is considered incest. Clan identity is marked during ceremonies when members wear masks representing their clan animals. This system organizes social relationships, determines marriage partners, and structures ritual life. Clan myths explain the origin of each clan animal and its relationship to the Ticuna people. The system has adapted to population changes while maintaining its fundamental structure across the three national contexts where Ticuna live.
The PelazĂłn Ceremony
The pelazón (or worecü) is the Ticuna girls' puberty ceremony, one of the most elaborate initiation rituals in the Amazon. When a girl has her first menstruation, she is secluded for weeks to months, learning women's skills and restrictions. The ceremony celebrating the end of seclusion involves the entire community. Masked figures representing mythological beings and clan animals dance and perform. The climax involves pulling out the girl's hair—hence "pelazón" (hair-pulling)—which symbolizes transformation from child to woman. The ceremony includes much drinking of payawarú (fermented manioc beer), feasting, and gift exchange. Though shortened and modified in contemporary practice, the pelazón remains culturally significant. The elaborate masks and costumes have become valuable art objects, though their removal from ceremonial context raises cultural concerns.
Contemporary Ticuna
Modern Ticuna have achieved remarkable demographic recovery—from near-extinction in the early 20th century to the Amazon's largest indigenous population today. The town of Benjamin Constant, Brazil, is a major center. Ticuna villages range from traditional to heavily acculturated, with most combining elements of both. The language remains vital, with bilingual education programs in all three countries. Ticuna have produced prominent artists whose works are exhibited internationally. A Ticuna Bible translation exists. Economic activities combine traditional fishing and agriculture with wage labor, social programs, and craft sales. Challenges include land conflicts, drug trafficking (given the tri-border location), and maintaining cultural practices. The 1988 Capacete massacre, in which 14 Ticuna were killed by loggers, remains a painful memory and symbol of ongoing vulnerability. Despite challenges, the Ticuna represent a success story of indigenous survival and cultural adaptation.
References
- Goulard, J. P. (2009). Entre mortales e inmortales: El ser segĂşn los Ticuna de la AmazonĂa
- NimuendajĂş, C. (1952). The Tukuna
- Santos, F. M. & Barclay, F. (eds.) (1994). GuĂa Etnográfica de la Alta AmazonĂa