After death, the soul of the De’áruwa shaman travels to the place of the winds on top of the mountain. There he inhales yopo and sings. The shaman’s throat becomes a flute that preserves his songs. A jaguar is born from his breath and bees, from his eyes. The souls of the common people return to their original sphere. There they copulate with siblings of the opposite sex in a barren, incestuous encounter.

De’áruwa is the name given to all creatures that are born, live, and die in the jungle. For this reason, the De’áruwa are known as the “gentleman of the jungle.” They speak a language that belongs to the Sáliva family, although some words are borrowed from Arawak and other languages. The De’áruwa inhabit areas surrounding the tributaries and sub-tributaries of the Puruname, Sipapo, Autana, Cuao, Guayapo, Samariapo, Cataniapo, Paria, Pargau, and Upper Suapure rivers. They also inhabit the lower basin of the Ventauri and the valley of Manapiare, the surroundings of Puerto Ayacucho and the Colombian margins of the Orinoco. De’áruwa settlements consist of a group of communal family homes called churuatas. Although rudimentary in appearance, actually the churuata is a synthesis of symmetry and utility. The churuata usually appears as a short dome with a conical roof. The interior of the churuata, dimly lit by torches, is a network of beams and girders, mounted in concentric rings according to tradition. Although there are no physical structures that divide families within a churuata, each family has its own area to store its belongings, hammocks, and a cooker. All of the churuata's inhabitants are free to use the central area, where they can gather to perform rituals, make crafts, and entertain guests. Traditionally, De’áruwa men and women wear loincloths woven of cotton harvested from their own conucos. They adorn their bodies with feathers as well as crowns, bracelets, and necklaces. Necklaces are made with alligators or báquiro teeth, threaded together with multicolored feathers. Body painting for the De’áruwa is considered the graphic representation of ritual knowledge that has been acquired over generations. They paint signs on their bodies using wooden stamps in various designs, shapes, and sizes. The signs for women affirm their destiny of fertility while the signs for men designate them as the hunters and shamans. De’áruwa botanical knowledge is extensive: rituals often require the inhalation of hallucinogens extracted from plants. The preparation is taken seriously by shamans, and each has his own manner of preparing the hallucinogenic yopo. Yopo and the tools needed for its preparation and consumption are stored in small box-shaped baskets called petacas or yoperas. Each petaca contains a wooden mortar for grinding the powder, a brush to spread it, an inhaler, a shell container, a comb and the feather of a curassow, used to clear blockages from the inhaler. The most important De’áruwa ritual is the warime, a fertility ceremony practiced every three years. For this ceremony, the De’áruwa summon their mythical ancestors, the báquiros. They make sacred objects like masks, musical instruments, and special garments. The masks represents the báquiro; the white monkey; and Re’yo, the evil spirit of the bee. De’áruwa musical instruments imitate the sounds of ancestral animals. The wora, for example, is a bamboo flute that when played mimics the sound of a jaguar's growl. Other flutes imitate the sound of the toucan or the screech of the howler monkey. Although considered sacred objects, today many of these instruments are also made for commercial sale. Everyday life involves farming in conucos during the rainy season. De’áruwa grow plantains, sweet potatoes, sugar cane, pineapples, cotton, and, especially, bitter yucca, their main staple. They hunt during the dry season with blowguns, using darts laced with curare poison. The De’áruwa eat monkeys, cachicamos, chigüires, and lapas; reptiles like caymans and alligators; and a great variety of fish and birds. However, dietary laws restrict them from eating large animals like deer or sacred animals such as the báquiro. The De’áruwa also gather wild fruit, insects, and snakes for consumption. Gathering is done by small expeditions consisting of men, women, and children. Upon their return, goods are shared with everyone in the communal home. Some De’áruwa settlements are large enough so that, if the group cooperates well, members may choose which activities to pursue. A De’áruwa man is not, for example, forced to go hunting if he would rather stay behind and weave baskets. The craft of basketry for the De’áruwa is principally utilitarian. Among the baskets they weave are catumares, mapires, sebucanes, and guapas. As is the case with other indigenous groups, pottery making has virtually disappeared since the introduction of aluminum and plastic containers. In the region of Alto Cuao, however, the De’áruwa do make pots and other clay containers used to store food and drink. References Lajos Boglár, Wahari. Eine südamerikanische Urwaldkultur, Leipzig/Weimar, 1982. Pablo Anduze, Bajo el signo de Mawari, Imprenta Nacional, Caracas, 1973.