The Kuarup dance (named after a sacred tree) – a ritual of reverence for the dead –is typical of the indigenous peoples of the Upper Xingu, Mato Grosso. The Indians dance and sing in front of Kuarup trunks, placed on the site where the honoured dead were buried. The ceremony of Kuarup (Kwarup or Kwarip) is a Xingu ceremony honouring the dead. The name of the ritual comes from the Kamayurá language, but is intertribal in nature as the participation of different Xingu tribes commonly takes place. Kuarup is considered as a symbol of the Upper Xingu region, both by the various tribes of the Xingu and by outsiders. Basically, Kuarup is a funeral ceremony. However, it is much more, and involves Xingu myths of creation, Xingu hierarchical classifications, the initiation of pubescent girls into Xingu society, and the reinforcement of alliances between the various Xingu tribes.
©Kieron Nelson "Vanishing Cultures Photography" All rights reserved
