A’uwẽ (Xavante) Sacred Food Plants: Maize and Wild Root Vegetables
June 11, 2022 James R. Welch
In lowland South America, sacred food plants have received less ethnographic attention than psychotropic plants, yet they are often central to local understandings of mythology, healing, ceremony, and spiritual well-being. This article elucidates the sacred nature of two kinds of food plants among the A’uwẽ (Xavante) in Central Brazil: cultivated maize and collected wild root vegetables. These are considered uniquely appropriate gifts during certain ceremonial and ritual events. The author also explores how research was conducted about ceremonial ethnobotanical topics in a society where most sacred and spiritual knowledge is privileged. Both sacred plant foods continue to be commonly given as presents expressing gratitude during popular ceremonial occasions, maintaining them as integral components of contemporary social life.