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About
The conflict shown in The Ax Fight disrupted the political stability in Mishimishimabowei-teri. Several days after the fight, Moawa, the most prominent headman in the village, killed a tapir and presented it to his brothers-in-law who comprise an important political bloc in the village. The gift of the animal served to reinforce his now shaken alliance with them. The film shows how the meat is prepared, cooked and distributed. The choice meat goes to the important men in the village, the scraps and fat go to the women and the children and, finally, the dogs move in for the scant leftovers.
This film could be shown directly after The Ax Fight as a dramatic example of how sharing meat in a gift exchange can help socially and politically to smooth over problems and re-unite groups.
This film is included on the Yanomamö Shorts compilation DVD. This two-disc set includes the following remastered titles on Disc One: Arrow Game, Children's Magical Death, Climbing the Peach Palm, A Father Washes His Children, A Man and His Wife Make a Hammock and Weeding the Garden. Also included on Disc One: Firewood, Tapir Distribution and Tug-of-War. Disc Two includes: Dedeheiwä
Rests in His Garden, Children Roasting Meat, A Woman Spins, Children
Make a Toy Hammock, Sand Play, Playing in the Rain, Mouth Wrestling, and Young Shaman.
Films in the Yanomamö series:
Arrow Game *†
Firewood *
* included on the Yanomamö Shorts compilation
† included in the Yanomamö Films: Remastered, Vol. 1 set
† included in the Yanomamö Films: Remastered, Vol. 1 set
Indigenous Studies:
Regions:
Credits
Tapir Distribution
Produced and Directed by
Napoleon Chagnon and Timothy Asch
Edited by
Seth Reichlin and Paul Bugos
Produced by Documentary Educational Resources Inc.
Copyright 1975 by Documentary Educational Resources
Learning Resources
308 Tapir Distribution - Study Guide
PDF