The Yanomami have an intimate knowledge of the interactions between plants and animals in their environment, particularly in relation to game animals and their diets. This information will be valuable for guiding the choice of species for reafforestation initiatives in the region, as planting of appropriate species can help to bring back desirable game species to the disturbed areas. The information provided below is only a small sample of this knowledge.
Table 1: Seed and fruit predators of selected tree and vine species in the Homoxi area
|
Abuta imene |
paari makasi thotho |
Brazilian porcupine |
|
Alexa confusa |
k |
Agouti |
|
Anacardium giganteum |
oruxihi |
Tapir |
|
Buchenavia cf capitata
|
siyõriyõri mahi |
Small birds |
|
Byrsonima sp. |
atama asihi |
Paca, Spix's guan, piping guan, toucans, toucanets, cotingas, parrots |
|
Cecropia sciadophylla |
kahu usihi |
Paca |
|
Clathrotropis macrocarpa |
wapokohi |
Agouti, acouchy |
|
Couma macrocarpa |
omanama axihi |
Parrots, macaws, monkeys, tayra, coati |
|
Dacryodes roraimensis |
mõramahi |
Macaw, toucans, toucanets, cotingas, Spix's guan, piping guan |
|
Dioclea aff. malacocarpa |
kuapatha thotho |
Agouti, acouchy |
|
Eschweilera sp. |
mrakaunahi |
Parrots, agouti, acouchy |
|
Guarea grandifolia |
kãrã ahi |
Toucan, curassow, agouti |
|
Helicostylis tomentosa |
xopahi |
Tapir |
|
Herrania lemniscata |
xiaxiri unahi |
'Paho' (rodent) |
|
Hieronyma laxiflora |
thokonakasihi |
Small birds |
|
Inga acreana |
pahihi |
Paca, kinkajou, howler monkey, capuchin |
|
Inga alba |
moximahi |
Paca, curassow, parrot (Pionus), macaw |
|
Inga edulis |
krepu uhi |
Paca, kinkajou |
|
Inga nobilis |
rerokoakasihi |
Paca, parrot (Pionus) |
|
Inga sp. |
toxahi |
Paca, curassow, parrot (Pionus) |
|
Inga sp. |
wakamahi |
Paca, parrot (Pionus) |
|
Loreya spruceana |
p |
Deer, paca |
|
Micrandra rossiana. |
momo hi |
Curassow, deer, macaw |
|
Micropholis sp. |
yawarahi |
Deer, agouti |
|
Micropholis sp. |
na |
Deer, curassow, tinamou, macaw, 'hopu', howler monkey, capuchin |
|
Myrcia sp. |
atama asihi |
Macaws, parrots, toucans |
|
Oenocarpus bacaba |
hokosik |
Piping guan, trumpeter, macaw, Spix's guan, toucans, parrots |
|
Osteophloem platyspermum |
ixoa hi |
Toucans |
|
Paullinia cf. ingifolia |
hopu ahu thotho |
Deer, Brazilian porcupine, parrot, kinkajou |
|
Piper glabrescens |
mahekomahi |
Tapir |
|
Pourouma bicolor. |
momihi mahi |
Paca, kinkajou |
|
Pourouma cf cucura
|
maxitema ahi |
Paca, kinkajou, deer |
|
Pourouma cf guianensis |
hayamasihi |
Deer, paca, acouchy |
|
Pouteria hispida |
yawaxihi |
Agouti, paca |
|
Pseudolmedia laevigata |
hayihi |
Paca |
|
Pseudolmedia laevis |
asoasi hi |
Cutia, toucans, parrots, piping guan, Spix's guan |
|
Trymatococcus amazonicus |
potahi amohi |
Agouti |
|
‘Wild avocado’ |
ahõi hi |
Agouti, tayra |
|
Unknown |
thiria hi |
Deer, tapir, paca |
|
Unknown |
xirixirihi |
Deer, macaw, parrot (Pionus) |
The tapir (Tapirus terrestris) is the game animal most highly prized by the Yanomami. One of the best hunting grounds for tapir in the Homoxi region is an area called Parahi urihi on the upper Hoomoxi u, where many of its favourite food plants can be found. These include the following species:
Table 2: Some food plants of the tapir
|
apiahi |
Micropholis
melinoniana |
|
ariahi |
Pouteria sp. |
|
hokomasi |
|
|
horetohi* |
Licania cf heteromorpha |
|
iro kutu thotho |
|
|
karihi |
|
|
m«r«k«rimahi |
Dacryodes
roraimensis |
|
mahekomahi |
Piper spp. |
|
momohi |
Micrandra rossiana |
|
mõramahi |
Dacryodes
roraimensis |
|
moro thotho |
|
|
na«hi |
Micropholis sp. |
|
okemasi hanak« |
Tetrorchidium
rubrivenium |
|
pirima ahuhi |
|
|
thiriahi |
Maquira calophylla? |
|
tokorihi |
Cecropia cf latiloba |
|
xããrihi |
Miconia spp. |
|
xama hanak« |
Piper sp. |
|
xiki thotho |
|
|
xonama a |
|
|
xooxomohi |
Caryocar pallidum |
|
xopahi |
Helicostylis
tomentosa |
|
xorihi |
Ficus piresiana vel aff. |
· Favourite species