Picture of a Fuegian (possibly a Yaghan) from the voyage of FitzRoy's ship, HMS Beagle.

Fuegians are the indigenous inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego, at the southern tip of South America. In English the term primarily refers to the Yaghan people of Tierra del Fuego. In Spanish it can refer to any person from the archipelago. Download high resolution version (400x601, 235 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (400x601, 235 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Tierra del Fuego Cerro Sombrero Village, Chile. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... The Yaghan or Yamana were an indigenous people of Tierra del Fuego. ...

The indigenous Fuegians belonged to several tribes including the Ona (Selk'nam), Haush, Yahgan (Yámana), and Alacaluf (Kawésqar). All of these tribes except the Selk'nam lived exclusively in coastal areas and traveled by canoes around the islands of the archipelago. The Selk'nam lived in the interior of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and lived mainly by hunting guanacos. The Fuegian peoples spoke several distinct languages: both the Kawésqar language and the Yaghan language are considered language isolates, while the Selk'nams spoke a Chon language like the Tehuelches on the mainland. The Selknam, also known as the Ona, a now-extinct people, lived in the Tierra del Fuego islands, in southern Chile and Argentina. ... The Yaghan, also called Yámana or Yamana was the indigenous inhabitants of the islands south of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego extending their presence into Cape Horn. ... The Alacaluf (also called Halakwulup, Kawésqar, Kaweskar) are a South American people living in Chile in the Strait of Magellan (Brunswick Peninsula, and Wellington, Santa Inés, and Desolación islands), Chile. ... Tierra del Fuego Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (literally, Great Island of the Land of Fire) is an island near the southern tip of South America from which it is separated by the Strait of Magellan. ... Binomial name Lama guanicoe (Müller, 1776) The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is an elegant, fine-boned camelid animal that stands approximately 1. ... Kawésqar, also known as Qawasqar, Alacaluf, and Halakwulup, is a language isolate spoken in southern Chile. ... Yagán (variously spelled as Yahgan, Yaghan, Jagan, Iakan), also known as Yámana and Háusi Kúta, is one of the indigenous languages of Tierra del Fuego, spoken by the Yagán people. ... A language isolate, in the absolute sense, is a natural language with no demonstrable genealogical (or genetic) relationship with other living languages; that is, one that has not been demonstrated to descend from an ancestor common to any other language. ... The two Chon languages are Selknan which died out two years ago and Tehuelche. ... Patagonian camp, 1838 Tehuelches is the collective name of the native tribes of Patagonia. ...

When Europeans, Chileans and Argentines studied or settled on the islands in the mid-1800s, they brought with them diseases such as measles and smallpox that the Fuegians had no immunity to. The Fuegian population was devastated by the diseases, and their numbers were reduced from several thousand in the 1800s to several hundred in the 1900s ^[1]. There are no full-blooded native Fuegians today, the last died in 1930. Smallpox (also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera) is a highly contagious disease unique to humans. ...

Material culture

Although the Fuegians were all hunter-gatherers,^[2] their material culture was not homogenous: the big island and the archipelago made two different adaptations possible. Some of the cultures were coast-dwelling, while others were land-oriented.^[3][4] Neither was restricted to Tierra del Fuego: In anthropology, the hunter-gatherer way of life is that led by certain societies of the Neolithic Era based on the exploitation of wild plants and animals. ...

• The coast provided fish, sea birds, seals, and sometimes also whales. Yaghans got their sustenance this way. Alacalufs (living in the Strait of Magellan and some islands), and Chonos (living further to the north, on Chilean coasts and archipelagos) were similar.^[3][4]
• Selk'nams lived on the inland plain of the big island of Tierra del Fuego, hunting herds of guanaco.^[3][4] The material culture had some similarities to that of the (also linguistically related) Tehuelches living outside Tierra del Fuego in the southern plains of Argentina.^[3][5]

All Fuegian tribes had a nomadic lifestyle, and lacked permanent shelters. The guanaco-hunting Selk'nam made their huts out of stakes, dry sticks, and leather. They broke camp and carried their things with them, and wandered following the hunting and gathering possibilities. The coastal Yamana and Alacaluf also changed their camping places, travelling by canoes.^[6] The Yaghan or Yamana were an indigenous people of Tierra del Fuego. ... The Alacaluf (also called Halakwulup, Kawésqar, Kaweskar) are a South American people living in Chile in the Strait of Magellan (Brunswick Peninsula, and Wellington, Santa Inés, and Desolación islands), Chile. ... A true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite image, the entire Strait is visible A map of the Strait of Magellan The Strait of Magellan is a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland Chile, South America and north of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. ... The Selknam, also known as the Ona, a now-extinct people, lived in the Tierra del Fuego islands, in southern Chile and Argentina. ... Binomial name Lama guanicoe (Müller, 1776) The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is an elegant, fine-boned camelid animal that stands approximately 1. ... Patagonian camp, 1838 Tehuelches is the collective name of the native tribes of Patagonia. ... Kazakh nomads in the steppes of the Russian Empire, ca. ...

Spiritual culture

Mythology

There are some correspondences or putative borrowings between the Yámana and Selknam mythologies.^[7] The hummingbird was an animal revered by the Yámanas, and the Taiyin-myth of the Selk'nams presents the culture hero "Taiyin" in the guise of a hummingbird. In both tribes, this is an origin myth explaining the formation of the water system of the archipelago.^[8] A Yámana myth, "The egoist fox", features a hummingbird as a helper and has some similarities to the Taiyin-myth of the Selk'nam.^[9] Similar remarks apply to the myth about the big albatross: it shares identical variants at both tribes.^[10] Some examples of myths having shared or similar versions in both tribes: The word mythology (from the Greek μυολογία mythología, from mythologein to relate myths, from mythos, meaning a narrative, and logos, meaning speech or argument) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use the supernatural to interpret natural events and... Subfamilies Phaethornithinae Trochilinae For a taxonomic list of genera, see: List of hummingbirds in taxonomic order For an alphabetic species list, see: Alphabetic species list Hummingbirds are small birds in the family Trochilidae, native only to the Americas. ... A culture hero is a historical or mythological hero who changes the world through invention or discovery. ... It has been suggested that Creation within belief systems be merged into this article or section. ... Subfamilies Phaethornithinae Trochilinae For a taxonomic list of genera, see: List of hummingbirds in taxonomic order For an alphabetic species list, see: Alphabetic species list Hummingbirds are small birds in the family Trochilidae, native only to the Americas. ... Genera Diomedea Thalassarche Phoebastria Phoebetria Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds allied to the procellariids, storm-petrels and diving-petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). ...

• the myth about a walrus and his [human] wife;^[11]
• the myth about the origin of death.^[12]

All three Fuegian tribes had myths about culture heros.^[13] Yámanas have dualistic myths about the two /joalox/-brothers. They act as culture heros, and sometimes stand in an antagonistic relation with each other, introducing opposite laws. Their figures can be compared to the Selk'nam Kwanyip-brothers.^[14] In general, the presence of dualistic myths in two compared cultures does not imply relatedness or diffusion necessarily.^[15] Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution of Walrus Subspecies Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) are large semi-aquatic mammals that live in the cold Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. ... A culture hero is a historical or mythological hero who changes the world through invention or discovery. ... The diffusion of ideas or artifacts from one culture to another is a well-attested and uncontroversial concept of cultural anthropology. ...

Also some myths featuring shaman-like figures have similarities in Yámana and Selk'nam tribes.^[16]

Shamanism

Both Selk'nam and Yámana had persons filling in shaman-like roles. The Selk'nams believed their /xon/s to have supernatural capabilities, e.g. to control weather,^[17][18], heal.^[19] The figure of /xon/ appeared in myths, too.^[20] The Yámana /jekamuʃ/^[21] corresponds to the Selk'nam /xon/.^[22] The shaman is an intellectual and spiritual figure who is regarded as possessing power and influence on other peoples in the tribe and performs several functions, primarily that of a healer ( medicine man). The shaman provides medical care, and serves other community needs during crisis times, via supernatural means (means...

There are myths in both Yámána and Selk'nam tribes about a shaman using his power manifested as a whale. In both examples, the shaman was "dreaming" while achieving this.^[23][24], E.g., the body of the Selk'nam /xon/ lay undisturbed while it was believed that he travelled and achieved wonderful deeds (e.g. taking revenge on a whole group of peoples),^[25] also the Yámana /jekamuʃ/ made his similar achievements in dream: killed a whale and lead the dead body to arbitrary places, and transformed himself into a whale as well.^[26] In another Selk'nam myth, the /xon/ could use his power also for transporting whale meat, he could exercise this capability from great distances; meanwhile he could see everything what happened during the transport.^[27]

Gender

There is a belief in both the Selk'nam and Yámana tribes that women used to rule over men in ancient times.^[28] There are man festivals associated with this belief in both tribes^[29].

Contacts between Yámana and Selk'nam

The principal differences in language, habitat, and adaptation techniques did not promote contacts, although eastern Yámana groups had exchange contacts with the Selk'nam.^[30]

Language

The languages spoken by the Fuegians are all extinct, with the exception of the Yaghan language and Kawesqar. The Selk'nam language was related to the Tehuelche language and belonged to the Chon family of languages. Yagán (variously spelled as Yahgan, Yaghan, Jagan, Iakan), also known as Yámana and Háusi Kúta, is one of the indigenous languages of Tierra del Fuego, spoken by the Yagán people. ... The Alacaluf (also called Halakwulup, Kawésqar, Kaweskar) are a South American people living in Chile in the Strait of Magellan (Brunswick Peninsula, and Wellington, Santa Inés, and Desolación islands), Chile. ... Tehuelche is a nearly extinct Chon language spoken by 4 people in Argentina out of an ethnic group of 200. ... The two Chon languages are Selknan which died out two years ago and Tehuelche. ...

Possible Australian Origin?

The Fuegians are thought to be physically, culturally and linguistically distinct from other Native Americans. Some proponents of this theory suggest they may be the descendants of Australian Aborigines who colonized the area prior to the arrival of Asian Amerinds. Both Tehuelches and Selk'nams practiced body painting and rock art similar to that of Australian Aborigines. In contrast to most Amerindian peoples, Fuegians appeared to be taller than most Europeans (See: Patagon myth). Patagonian camp, 1838 Tehuelches is the collective name of the native tribes of Patagonia. ...

Modern history

The name "Tierra del Fuego" may refer to the fact that both Selk'nam and Yamana had their fires burn in front of their huts (or in the hut). In Magellan's time Fuegians were more numerous, and the light and smoke of their fires presented an impressive sight if seen from a ship or another island.^[31] Yamanas also used fire to send messages by smoke signals, for instance if a whale drifted ashore.^[32] The large amount of meat required notification of many people, so that it would not decay.^[31] They might also have used smoke signals on other occasions, but it is possible that Magellan saw the smokes or lights of natural phenomena.^[33] A smoke signal is a form of visual communication used over a long distance, developed both in the Americas and in China. ...

Both Selk'nams and Yámanas were decimated by diseases brought in by colonization.^[31]

Research

Anthropologists Pater Martin Gusinde and Anne Chapman have studied the Fuegians. They came literally at the last possible moment to preserve the memory of these cultures. In a retrospective way, a maybe unintended metaphoric connotation could be attributed to the words of the Fuegians, who called Pater Martin Gusinde the “shadow-catcher” while the anthropologist was busy making photographs on their life — since then, this life became literally a shadow ^[1]. Anne Chapman (1922-) is a franco-american ethnologist. ...

External links

Bibliography, linking many online documents in various languages:

• Lenguas australes / Materiales sobre lenguas y culturas indígenas de la Tierra del Fuego y del sur de la Patagonia

English:

• Extinct Ancient Societies Tierra del Fuegians
• Indians page of homepage of Museo Maritiomo de Ushuaia

German:

• Dr Wilhelm Koppers: Unter Feuerland-Indianern. Strecker und Schröder, Stuttgart, 1924. (A whole book online. In German. Title means: “Among Fuegians”.)
• Die letzten Feuerland-Indianer / Ein Naturvolk stirbt aus. (Short article in German, with title “The last Fuegians / An indigenous people becomes extinct”)
• Feuerland — Geschichten vom Ende der Welt. (“Tierra del Fuego — stories from the end of the world”. Link collection with small articles. In German.)

Spanish

• Cosmología y chamanismo en Patagonia by Beatriz Carbonell. See abstract in English.

Shaman-like figures (Selk'nam /xon/, Yámana /jekamuʃ/): The shaman is an intellectual and spiritual figure who is regarded as possessing power and influence on other peoples in the tribe and performs several functions, primarily that of a healer ( medicine man). The shaman provides medical care, and serves other community needs during crisis times, via supernatural means (means...

• About the Ona Indian Culture in Tierra del Fuego
• Rituals and beliefs of the Yámana, mentioning “yekamush”
• (Spanish) Cosmología y chamanismo en Patagonia by Beatriz Carbonell. See abstract in English.

See also

• Anne Chapman
• Fuegian languages

Anne Chapman (1922-) is a franco-american ethnologist. ... Fuegian languages refers to mainly to three languages spoken in Tierra del Fuego by native Americans; the Kawésqar language, the Selknam language and the Yaghan language. ...

References

• Gusinde, Martin: Nordwind—Südwind. Mythen und Märchen der Feuerlandindianer. E. Röth, Kassel, 1966.
• Hoppál, Mihály (ed.): A Tejút fiai. Tanulmányok a finnugor népek hitvilágáról. Európa Könyvkiadó, Budapest, 1980.
• Itsz, Rudolf: Napköve. Néprajzi elbeszélések. Móra Könyvkiadó, Budapest, 1979. Hungarian translation of the original Russian book (Р.Ф. Итс: Камень солнца. Издательство «Детская Литература», Ленинград, 1974.)
• Service, Elman: The Hunter. Prentice-Hall, 1966.
• Zolotarjov, A.M.: Társadalomszervezet és dualisztikus teremtésmítoszok Szibériában. In: Hoppál 1980:29–58

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Die letzten Feuerland-Indianer / Ein Naturvolk stirbt aus. (Short article in German, with title “The last Fuegians / An indigenous people becomes extinct”).
2. ^ Gusinde 1966, pp. 6–7
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Service, Elman: The Hunter. Prentice-Hall, 1966.
4. ^ ^{a b c} Extinct Ancient Societies Tierra del Fuegians
5. ^ Gusinde 1966, p. 5
6. ^ Gusinde 1966:7
7. ^ Gusinde 1966:10
8. ^ Gusinde 1966:175–176
9. ^ Gusinde 1966:183
10. ^ Gusinde 1966:179
11. ^ Gusinde 1966:178
12. ^ Gusinde 1966:182
13. ^ Gusinde 1966:71
14. ^ Gusinde 1966:181
15. ^ Zolotarjov 1980:56
16. ^ Gusinde 1966:186
17. ^ Gusinde 1966:175
18. ^ About the Ona Indian Culture in Tierra del Fuego
19. ^ Gusinde 1966:67
20. ^ Gusinde 1966:15
21. ^ Gusinde 1966:156
22. ^ Gusinde 1966:186
23. ^ Gusinde 1966:64
24. ^ Gusinde 1966:155
25. ^ Gusinde 1966:179
26. ^ Gusinde 1966:155
27. ^ Gusinde 1966:61
28. ^ Gusinde 1966:181
29. ^ Gusinde 1966:184
30. ^ Gusinde 1966, p. 10
31. ^ ^{a b c} Rudolf Itsz: Napköve / Néprajzi elbeszélések. Móra Könyvkiadó, Budapest, 1979. Hungarian translation from the original: Р.Ф. Итс: Камень солнца. Издательство «Детская Литература», Ленинград, 1974.
32. ^ Gusinde 1966, pp. 137–139, 186
33. ^ The Patagonian Canoe. Extracts from the following book. E. Lucas Bridges: Uttermost Part of the Earth. Indians of Tierra del Fuego. 1949, reprinted by Dover Publications, Inc (New York, 1988).