Yanomami Woman Dancing

At sunset these Yanomami women prepare their made-up banana leaves costumes to make their typical dances

  1. Home
  2. Express Documentaries
  3. Yanomami Woman Dancing
Planet Doc

In the world's largest rainforest lives a tribe whose customs and ways of life are gradually disappearing. 
The Sanema are a branch of the Yanomami tribe living in the rainforest on either side of the border between Venezuela and Brazil. Until recently, they were nomadic hunters, but hunting is now so scarce that many have moved into villages to live a more sedentary and comfortable way of life.  
Fortunately, there are still some isolated groups, difficult to find, which preserve the ancient traditions. One of these groups makes skirts from banana leaves for simple, repetitive dances that have been performed for more than 3,000 years. 
Another secular tradition is that of adorning the body with ceremonial down or cotton fibres, ornaments used in celebrations following the death of a family relative, in which the qualities of the deceased relation are magically acquired by eating their ashes. 
The typical dance of the yanomami is always performed at sunset, and its simple choreography is complemented by the cheerful character of the tribe, despite the threat of extinction which they share with so many of the Amazonian peoples.
The secret world of the forest and all the great wonders enclosed in it are in great and mortal danger!

Tell us what you think!