The Origin Myth of a Myth: The 'Land without Evil' Revisited

Abstract

In May 1912, in a swamp by the Tietê River shoreline in São Paulo, German anthropologist Curt Nimuendaju encountered a group of Guarani Indians. Decimated, sick, and starving, these “genuine Indians of the rainforest”—with lip adornments, bows, and arrows—came from Paraguay but could only mumble a few words in Spanish and knew nothing of Portuguese. As Nimuendaju observed, “They wanted to go across the sea eastwards and such was their confidence in the success of the plan that they almost made me fall into despair. It was their only topic of conversation” (1987 [1914]: 105). Yielding to their stubborn determination, he decided to accompany them, covering 43 miles in 3 days before finally camping by the sea. After a long, rainy night, the Guarani were downhearted, perplexed before the vastness of the ocean, and sunk into frustration and helplessness. Following a series of discussions and some ritual ceremonies, Nimuendaju managed to convince them to settle down at the newly established Araribá Indian reservation, but as he could not stay and live with them, the Guarani soon resumed their plans to migrate beyond the seas in search of redemption (105–108).