The Agouti's Peanut

This video examines the everyday work and recreation of the Panará people, who blend their traditional ways with the influences of official Brazilan culture. Lighthearted and compelling, it encourages viewers to question the dichotomy of tradition versus modernity. The Panará hunt with both guns and arrows; boys play soccer and also perform traditional log races. Women in the video address their changing concepts of modesty and dress. One young man divides his time between the village and Brasilia, where he is improving his Portuguese and working on textbooks in his native language. He says, "we are learning things from the whites, but without abandoning the Panará culture." According to traditional belief it was the agouti - a small four-legged animal - who gave the Panará the peanut, and they retell the story to children and show their appreciation at harvest-time through an elaborate dance. The Agouti's Peanut presents an optimistic look at contemporary indigenous life and the possibility of harmonious co-existence for indigenous and Brazilian culture.