Jurupari or Devil Sacred Musical Instrument - Specimen details
| Catalogue Number: 59672 | |||||
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Plant Name | 57.02 LEGUMINOSAE-CAESALPINIOIDEAE Eperua grandiflora | Entry Book Number | 6.1854 | |
| Artefact Name | Jurupari or Devil Sacred Musical Instrument | Vernacular Name | |||
| Iso Country | Brazil | TDWG Region | Brazil | ||
| Parts Held | Jurupari or Devil Sacred Musical Instrument | Geography Description | Brazil, Amazonas, Rio Uaupés | ||
| Uses | Jurupari or Devil Sacred Musical InstrumentUse: MATERIALS User: Man | TDWG use | MATERIALS | ||
| Storage | Extra-large shelving | Related Items | |||
| Donor | Spruce, Richard | Donor No | 173 | ||
| Donor Date | 00/00/1854 | Donor Notes | |||
| Collector | Spruce, Richard | Collector No | |||
| Collection Notes | Collection Date | ||||
| Exhibition | Expedition | ||||
| Number Components | Publication | ||||
| Notes: | Label source: The Tubes are wrapped in the bark of Iebaru (Eperua grandiflora). Used among the Indians of the Rio Uaupes, Brazil at their feasts. Juruparis (or Devils) used by the Indians on the Uaupes in their Dabocuris (Festas,) consisting of a tube of, Paxiuba (Iriartea exorrhiza), wrapped with a long strip of the tough bark of the Jeboru (a Caesalpineous tree with handsome red monopetalous flowers, apparently the Parivoa grandiflora of Aubler) {Eperua grandiflora], which descends in widening folds to, some distance below the tube, thus forming a sort of trumpet, which is simply blown into the upper end. I cannot find that the Juruparis are objects of actual adoration, but they certainly are an object of fear and respect. No women is ever permitted to, see them and should such a circumstance occur the women is certainly put to death generally by poison though the sight should have been accidental on her part. Youths are not permitted to handle or blow the Juruparis before the age of puberty, and must pr, eviously have undergone a series of fastings and scourgings. The Juruparis are kept hidden in the bed of some stream deep in the forest, in which no one dares to drink or bathe; and there are brought out only at night and blown outside the house where the, feast is held, in order that no women may obtain a sight of them.x0Dx0Ax0Dx0ASource: Spruce, R (1851-1855) Journal entry for 17-18 April 1851. Journals from Barra to the Orinoco, from Barra to Tarapoto and notes on the uses of Amazon plants and on cryptograms,p5, 2. The performances commenced early by blowing of flageolets. A dance was then commenced by men and boys inside the house by forming themselves into a ring, each holding the flute to his mouth with the right hand and placing his left hand on the rightsho, ulder of the person in advance of him and then moving round.x0Dx0Ax0Dx0ASource: Spruce, R (1851-1855) Uses of Amazon plants. Journals from Barra to the Orinoco, from Barra to Tarapato and notes on the uses of Amazon plants and on cryptograms, p8. Used in festa, s of Indians on Uaupés and on Rio Negro made of Paxiuba with soft central part scooped out as to resemble a bassoon and gives a somewhat similar sound when blown into at one end. Larger one five or six feet long have a square orifice near upper end into, which is inserted a piece of clay so as to resemble the orifice of the mouthpiece of a flageolet, and above this is tied a fresh leaf of uarurina every time the Juruparis used. Smaller ones 1-3 feet long have an external envelope of jebaru-bark. A long, strip of this tough bark 11 or 12 inches thick is tightly wrapped around the Paxiuba (of which six to nine inches of upper end are left uncovered). In some 15 turns after which it is continued spirally downwards in additional turns so as to form a wide, tube reaching two feet beyond the Paxiuba. Two sticks are tied tightly down over this bark and inside it so as to keep it always in its place and being kept always under water it does not shrink. The addition of this tube gives a deeper hollow sound t, o the instrument. Jurupari are of all sorts and sizes and each has its distinct name. That for instance each is the length of leg is called Keléubuká; that length of halfarm Pucé. Juruparis are kept hidden in the bed of some iguapi in the forest and, are only brought out on a feast day for the women who see them die, generally by poison. On feast days Jurupari are brought out of the forest about dark and then who has them begins to blow when at a distance from the house of feast. When heard approac, hing thewomen all run to hide themselves in the forest or the other side of the house. They are blown outside the house out of the sight of the women. Youths are not permitted to touch or blow the Jurupari until 13 or 14 years of age. They are previous, ly put on spare dish for three months and have recruitment flogging given. Afterwards on a day appointed they are taken to the place where the Juruparis are hidden and taught how to play on them. Returning home a feast is made and caniri drunk allnig, ht, the elders giving a long exhortation to the youths, such as to always do as their father bids them - not to reply when their mother scolds them.x0Dx0Ax0Dx0APhotographed and catalogued in November 2016 as part of the Musical Instrument Interface for Museums, and Collections (MINIM-UK) project, Royal College of Music, www.minim-uk.orgx0Dx0Ax0Dx0Ax0Dx0Ax0Dx0A | ||||