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Children's Nonfiction Caribbean & Latin America

Tales of the Amazon

How the Munduruku Indians Live

by (author) Daniel Munduruku

illustrated by Laurabeatriz

translated by Jane Springer

Publisher
Groundwood Books Ltd
Initial publish date
Apr 2000
Category
Caribbean & Latin America, Central & South America
Recommended Age
8 to 12
Recommended Grade
3 to 7
Recommended Reading age
8 to 12
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780888993922
    Publish Date
    Apr 2000
    List Price
    $18.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Out of print

This edition is not currently available in bookstores. Check your local library or search for used copies at Abebooks.

Description

This beautiful portrait of one of the Amazon's Indian tribes was written by one of its members. The book has three parts. The first tells the story of a young Munduruku boy who becomes a shaman -- how the youth is chosen in his infancy for this sacred occupation, how he trained, and finally initiated. The second part of the book recounts how the author came to the city as a young Indian who had lived his whole life in the Amazon, and what he encountered there. It explores not only the culture shock that he experienced but also presents very honetsly how Indians are seen and dealt with by a non-Indian society.The third part is a non-fiction account of the Munduruku tribe and its way of living, including some Munduruku legends, and it concludes with some general informaiton on the Indian population of the Amazon peoples.

About the authors

Daniel Munduruku was born in Belém, in the state of Para, Brazil. He has a doctorate in education from the University of São Paulo. A writer and teacher, he has won many awards for his children’s books, including the Jabuti Prize. He has been elected to the Lorena Academy of Letters and has been made a Commander of the Order of Cultural Merit by the president of the Brazilian Republic. Munduruku has also worked with street kids and has taught in a rural school for indigenous youth. His book Tales of the Amazon: How the Munduruku Indians Live is an exceptional account of what it is to be an indigenous person and provides a fascinating portrait of life in the Amazon. He lives in Lorena, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

Daniel Munduruku's profile page

Laurabeatriz is one of Brazil's foremost illustrators.

Laurabeatriz's profile page

Jane Springer is the author of Genocide, part of the Groundwork Guides series for which she is also the series editor. She is a consultant in international development and has lived and worked in Mozambique and India. She is the author of Listen to Us: The World's Working Children and translator of the Portuguese-language books Nest Egg and Tales from the Amazon. Jane Springer lives in Toronto.

Jane Springer's profile page

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