Tribes live separately in the Amazon jungle with the custom of eating the dead bones

The Yanomami, living deep in the forests of the Amazon, Brazil, are known as the world's largest detached tribe. Many people believe that they have crossed the Bering Strait here 1,500 years ago.

With 200 to 250 villages, the population of Yanomami today falls to about 32,000.

The Yanomami live on an area twice the size of Switzerland, about 9.6 million hectares. The main language is Yanomami. They divided the territory of residence into four areas, including the Sanema in the north, the Ninam occupying the southeast, the Yanomami settling in the southeast and Yanomato people living in the southwest, Only Tribal followers.

The mage and spokesman of Yanomami David Kopenwa.(Photo: Survival International).

Western European explorer Alexander Humboldt in the 18th century once called the Yanomami people "warlike" because of his custom of fighting, fighting and attacking other tribes as well as members of his own clan. However, violence is not a characteristic that reflects the culture of Yanomami people.

The custom of eating dead bones

The Yanomami tribe, one of the oldest cultures, remains intact today, with a unique lifestyle with unique language, beliefs and customs. They have an independent political system and do not worship only one head. Instead, they often elect a village chief or 'tuxawa' with the main responsibility of resolving disagreements within the village and with other villages.

Yanomami people follow spiritualism, consider all plants, things around them have souls. They also believe in the four-story concept of the universe. Magicians are often influential people in the Yanomami community. They are said to be able to heal by using the 'guardian devil' to expel the bad spirits named 'hekura' from the sick.

One of the most famous and frightening practices of the Yanomami clan is the custom of eating dead human bones Endocannibalism. If someone dies, the Yanomami will pack their bodies with leaves and leave them in the forest for about 35 to 40 days. When insects, bacteria have rotted the flesh on the body, the bones of the corpse will be collected and stored in the gourds.

After one year, in another ritual called 'reahu' , they brought dead human bone ash into soup. Practicing the ritual of mixing bone ash soup is a way for Yanomami people to show their respect for the deceased soul and ensure that the soul is clean, can go to 'hedus' ie the Yanomami people's paradise.

Men in the Yanomami clan, in addition to farming, also feed by hunting many different animals, from snakes, wild boars to leopards, monkeys or pangolins. Women catch frogs, crabs or even bugs to add to meals. One of the popular dishes of Yanomami people is a thin rolled cake made from cassava.

The high prenatal mortality rate and short life expectancy prevent Yanomami from worrying about the future of the tribe, so girls in the clan often have to get married early. Besides, marriage also helps the Yanomami expand their links through alliances. A girl is said to be able to get married when she has just experienced her first period. Major marriages follow polygamy.

In 1967, geneticist James Neel and anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon took thousands of samples of Yanomami blood to perform scientific research experiments without receiving their consent. The shaman and spokesman representing Yanomami David Kopenwa asked to return the blood samples mentioned above.

In May 2010, they officially announced a request to recall all blood samples. This triggered a heated debate and led to the birth of the book 'The Night in El Dorado' written by Patrick Tierney. In the book, he publicly accuses scientists of genocide. The allegations were also repeated in the documentary titled 'Tribal Secrets' directed by Jose Padilha.

The discovery of gold mines in Yanomami areas inhabiting the 1970s is another threat to this community. It causes the environment to become seriously polluted, while causing a series of deaths.

A Yanomami woman with her child.(Photo: Wikipedia).

In October 1991, the Yanomami clan was included in the list of tribes that needed protection. However, the exploitation and infringement of the Yanomami residence territory continues, raising many controversies.

Brazilian authorities and non-governmental organizations helped build an education project for Yanomami people with the goal of teaching them to read and write fluently. Finally, the Yanomami in 2011 formed an organization called Horonami to protect their own interests.