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Social Science Cultural

The Pacaa Nova

Clash of Cultures on the Brazilian Frontier

by (author) Bernard von Graeve

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Oct 1991
Category
Cultural, General, Customs & Traditions, Globalization
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780921149361
    Publish Date
    Oct 1991
    List Price
    $39.95

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Description

The Pacaa Nova were originally a tribe of hunters, gatherers and simple horticulturalists in the upper Amazon. As the frontier of Brazilian 'civilization' has expanded, their extraordinary culture has been trampled on and transformed. Of particular importance in this case has been the intrusion of the rubber industry into the Amazon headwaters; important as well have been the influences of the Catholic Church and the government. It is a tragic story, but an entirely fascinating one, and von Graeve presents it in enormously readable fashion, with first-hand descriptions that bring the people to life for the student.

About the author

In 1969 and 1970, Bernard von Graeve spent time living in the rain forest near the border between Bolivia and Brazil. The anthropological field work he conducted at the missions allowed him to observe the Pacaa Nova, an Indian group that had established contact with outsiders only a few years before.

Bernard von Graeve's profile page