A’uwẽ (Xavante) Sacred Food Plants: Maize and Wild Root Vegetables

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.

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Abstract

In lowland South America, sacred food plants have taken an ethnographic back seat to psychotropic plants. Yet, such foods are often central to local understandings of mythology, healing, ceremony, and spiritual well-being. In this article, I elucidate the sacred nature of two kinds of food plants that occupy special sociocultural spaces among the A’uwẽ (Xavante) in Central Brazil: cultivated maize and collected wild root vegetables. Although these are not the only sacred food plants in A’uwẽ society, they are iconic because they are considered uniquely appropriate gifts during certain ceremonial and ritual events. I also explore how I conducted research about ceremonial ethnobotanical topics in a society that considers most sacred and spiritual knowledge privileged. Both sacred plant foods highlighted here continue to be commonly given as presents expressing gratitude to others during popular ceremonial occasions, thereby maintaining them in the collective consciousness as integral components of contemporary social life.