Album # 7 The Tribals

Maria had insisted that we needed to do a "Torre" to end our pilgrimage in Rio. She felt that our experience could not be complete without joining in this ritual event. She invited Tchydjo, a tribal from the north, to come and guide us in celebration and purification.

Late afternoon we were brought to an elegant neighborhood by our trusty Claude. We had hired a modern, air-conditioned van for all of our excursions and the driver Claude had quickly joined in the spirit of our adventures.

We were led through a few stories of winding staircase, narrow elevators and a private living room to a rooftop fantasy land. This home was built into a hillside and the rock face was used as one wall for some of the rooms.

The home had been donated by the family to the Ministry of Culture and this was Maria's place of employment.

We wandered about meeting a number of new friends who had come just for this event. We explored the rooftop gardens and nooks, and enjoyed the small, cultivated waterfall/pool and the spectacular ocean view.

Just before dusk the tribals signaled us that they were ready. Tchydjo had come with his brother, his son, and a young man from Sao Paulo that the tribe had adopted. They presented themselves to us fully painted. Tchydjo had on a "grass skirt" similar to what the Hawaiians make from Ti leaves.

His explanation was brief. He told us that there were two kinds of Torre. One required that we dance around a fire but he felt that was not the one for us. (We were grateful. It was hot) The other, he said. simply required us to follow him. He had us circle up and hold hands. And then he began to chant in his language. There was a bit of simple melody but mostly it was rhythm. And then he began a simple, foot slapping kind of circular tribal dance. And we joined in. He flowed from one dance to another. We were never given any explanation. We didn't need any. We were part of his tribe and we were dancing for the health of our bodies and our communities, we were dancing to bless the earth and each other. Some of the dances were partner dances and he grabbed me tightly and twirled me around to show everyone else what they were to do.

One of the dances was a tunnel dance, one was a snake dance. At one point he grabbed a carved meter long stick and tossed it to each dancer signaling us that we were to toss it back to him. The stick tapered to a flat point on each end and the dancers continued moving and chanting, only stopping when it was their turn to catch and toss the stick.

Darkness descended. We took several breaks for the delicious cashew fruit juice that was provided. And then we continued, pouring with sweat, powerfully focusing our intention.

The evening ended with a feast and I sat by Tchydjo asking him questions. His Aldeira (tribe) is the Kariri-Xoco from the area around the San Francisco River in the north eastern part of the country just north of Bahia.

His people now live in brick houses. He said that their circular grass huts were always catching on fire when the Portuguese settlers burned their fields. He said that his people's rituals had remained intact but they were very careful and that all ceremonies were done outside in the Forest and no one but the members of the tribe were able to participate.

He said that his tribe used to live on fish from the river and the blessings of the jungle but that the fish were not plentiful any more and that they were developing their traditional arts and crafts. They had also learned to make bricks and had a small industry.

He said that he was not the Tribal Chief, he was an Ambassador for his tribe and that he traveled wherever he was invited to lead Torres. Some of these involved a tea that sounded like a hallucinogen. His mother was a respected herbalist and I later in Sao Paulo met friends who had been healed by her remedies. Tchydyo had learned his dances and rituals from his father. He apprenticed for 40 years. One of the men accompanying him was his brother who also led some of the dances and his son who led one dance.

He explained to me that the Torre was held anytime the people gathered, either for life rituals such as marriage, for annual celebrations and for times when it was needed. It creates energy he told me and he watches carefully for the signs as the dance proceeds. He said that he could tell that the energy had risen in our group during the snake dance. He said that the tunnel dance was a ritual of initiation and that we had all been initiated into the protection of the Kawang bird. This bird does not let herself be seen most of the time, only when the rain is coming and then you can't see her but you can hear her. He said we could now call upon the energy of this bird anytime but we needed to remember her song.

He said that the Borduna stick allowed the Master of the Dance (his role) to find out who was secure in working spiritually. He could tell by the way the stick was caught and thrown. He said that two in our circle were weak in spirit. This got my translator very excited and a lively conversation followed that was not translated. Briefly she told me that the two slackers were not of the pilgrimage group.

Later when we were invited to support the tribe by purchasing some of their wonderful feather earrings, rattles and other magical creations I was able to acquire Tchydjo's Borduna.

The four men had traveled two days by bus in order to join us. They were given a room at Maria's house across from us so we were able to meet before we left the next day. Tchydjo said that whenever the tribe prayed they never just prayed for themselves. They always prayed for the whole world. Our Torre, he said, was not just for our own benefit. It was to heal and purify the world.

May the world be healed and purified

Prema and Anahata

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7 Tribal Torre