Elias Herckmans (1596â1644) was a merchant and respectable poet before traveling to Brazil or Nieuw Holland in the service of the WIC in 1635, at the age of 39. He fought against the Portuguese under Colonel Sigismund von Schkoppe and later became a member of the High Council seated at Recife. Only a year later, he became governor of Itamaracá, ParaÃba, Goiana and Rio Grande, boosting his political career. During his stay in Brazil he was part of two important expeditions.1 One took place in September 1641 when he led an expedition into the interior in order to find precious minerals.2 During the second expedition, to Chile in 1642â1643, he was vice commander of a Dutch fleet under the command of Hendrick Brouwer. Had it succeeded, Herckmans would have taken command of this new Dutch colony near Valdivia, but Brouwer died in Chile and Herckmans had to take the fleet back, thus returning empty-handed in December 1643. Back in Recife, the Dutch officials held Herckmans responsible for the failure of the Chile expedition, but he died in January 1644.3
In his fourth year in Brazil, 1639, Herckmans finished his Beschrijvinge van de Capitanie Paraiba or General Description of the Captaincy of ParaÃba. As its title indicates, it gives a description of this particular capitania or captaincy; it also offers an interesting consideration of the (linguistic) origins of ParaÃba toponyms. At the end it also contains the Short Description of the Life of the Tapujas, which appears as an appendix. As we are now able to compare the Tapuia descriptions made by Hulck and Herckmans, we can only come to the conclusion that Herckmans copied large parts of Hulckâs publication, though he did also enrich his text with information he had gathered (personally?) in Brazil.4 Given that it is appended to the end of his General Description, but also that the Tapuia were mostly confined to Rio Grande (and not to ParaÃba), suggests that this complementary text may have been added at a later date or was written earlier, perhaps at the same time Hulck was in Brazil. In the latter case, Hulck might have copied the manuscript from Herckmans or another unknown author. As a poet, Herckmansâs version is evidently more carefully and skillfully written than the much ârawerâ text of Hulck, which is often difficult to comprehend; perhaps Hulck had difficulties expressing himself in words or lacked the skills to comprehend the original text he was copying?
Considering the Tapuia of northestern Brazil, the Herckmans manuscript is perhaps the only one that evokes explicitly the existence of different Tapuia groups by revealing their (self-)designations, such as the Cariri and Tarairyou, of whom Jandovy was considered king. Thomas Pompeu Sobrinho has already pointed out that the Portuguese made distinctions among the Tapuia in the second half of the sixteenth century and singled out the Cariri.5 Herckmansâs Tarairyou is not the sole mention of the name of Jandovyâs group as Johannes de Laet also copied a letter written by the Dutch to Jandovy addressed as âKing of Tararyon,â in which the Dutch evoke the attack on ParaÃba and ask for his collaboration (see Document 12).6 This rarity or peculiarity was subsequently pointed out by Rudolf Schuller and Thomas Pompeu Sobrinho and was eventually crystallized in the Handbook of South American Indians by Robert Lowie.7 This ethnic identification was subsequently taken over by Ernst van den Boogaart in his important paper âInfernal Allies.â8
The description of ParaÃba was first published in the journal Bijdragen en Mededelingen van het Historisch Genootschap in 1879.9 In 1886, it was translated into Portuguese by José Hygino Duarte Pereira.10 More recently, Pereiraâs translation was reviewed and republished by José Antônio Gonsalves de Mello.11 Herckmansâs Short Description of the Life of the Tapujas is kept at the National Archives in The Hague, the Netherlands, under signature number NL-HaNA 1.05.01.01 46, fols. 19vâ25r. There is a second description of ParaÃba, dated 8 September 1640, also provided by Herckmans (NL-HaNA 1.05.01.01 55, document 51), but this time it concerns an update of ParaÃba only. He refers to the interest in this captaincy and how to extract more profit from it. The Tapuia are mentioned just once in the latter document, when Herckmans considers the fact that the cattle population has diminished in the Dutch colony because the inhabitants consumed a lot of them, just as the Tapuia did.
Original Handwritten Document NL-HaNA 1.05.01.01 46, Fols. 19Vâ25R
Alsoo wij hier te vooren aen geroert hebben inde beschrijvinge van Paraiba van eenige oorlogen die de Brasilianen ende naturellen des selven lants ge- voert hebben tegens hare nagebuiren de Tapuias Soo hebbe niet ongeraden gevonden oock een weinich van het leven ende de manieren der selver te beschrijven. De Tapuias dan is een volck wonende westwaert lande- waert in, omtrent ende over het geberchte, daer de Capi- tanias* (bij de blancken soo portugesen als neerlanders nu beseeten) op ât uytterste bewoont werden, ende sijn verdeelt in verscheiden natien, te weten daer sijnder die dwars van Pernambuco wonen ende genaemt Carrirj, hebben tot een koninck Kerioukejou, daer is noch een ander natie wat vorder gelegen genaemt
daer is noch een derde die sij noemen Carerijou, Besonder kennen wij de natie ofte Tapuyas*, genaemt [20r] Tarairyou diens Coninck is Jan Diunvy over een gedeelte ende Caracara oock over een gedeelte desen houden hant int Westen van Rio grande ende Cunhau, sij hebben geen seeckere steden ofte dorpen daerse woonen, maer trecken het landt door, woonen nu op dâeene dan op de andere plaetsen, comen inde casiou tijt, twelck is in November, December ende January wel afsacken nade zee kant, want hoogh int landt heeft men weynich of geen Casiou* dus reguleren sij hen na den tijt vant jaer om haer kost te soucken. Dit geseide volck is clouck van lichaem, groot van stature grof en sterck van gebeente, dick ende groot van hooft sijn van couleur uyt de nature bruinachtich, swart van haer opt hooft, inde neck gemeenlijck neerhan- gende, maer voor tot over de ooren gelyck afgecort |
Translation [19v]â¦
As we have mentioned previously in the description of Paraiba concerning various wars that the Brazilians and natives of the same country have waged war against their neighbors, the Tapuias. So I believe it would be reasonable to describe some of the life and manners of the latter. The Tapuias are a people inhabiting the western parts inland, around and beyond the mountains, where the Capitanias (so-called by the white men, now occupied by both Portuguese and Dutch) were inhabited along the coast, and divided up into different nations, to wit those who live [opposite] Pernambuco and are called Carriri, and have as their King Kerioukejou. There is another nation dwelling a little farther called Carirywassu and their King is Karapoto. There is a third [nation] which they call Carerijou. We especially know the nation of the Tapuyas, called [20r] Tarairyou, whose King is Jan Diunvy over one part and Caracara also over one part, and they rule to the west of Rio Grande and Cunhaú. They do not have cities or villages where they live but roam throughout the land, living now in one place, now in another. In the time [season] of the Casiou*,12 which is in November, December and January, they come down to the sea because in the highlands13 there are very little or no Casiou, so they regulate themselves by the time of the year to find their food. Said people are stout of body, large of stature, coarse and strong in bones, [with a] thick and large head, being naturally brownish of color, with black hair on their head, usually hanging down at the neck, but cut short at the front straight over the ears as if they had a bonnet on their head. However, a few have their |
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als offe een bonnet15 opt hooft hadden, doch laten sommige het hooft over al afscheeren, na de wijse van onse natie, sij hebben het haer alle seer groff en wreet. sij gaen geheel moeder naect uytgesondert op sommige tijden als sij feest houden, ofte ten oorloge gaen als dan behangen sij gemeenlijck hun lichaem met vederen van Araras dat sijn Westindische raven, item van Marganaus, Papegaeyen & Parquiten die bij haer seer schoon sijn, haer manlicheit halen sij het vel over ende binden het met een bandeken toe, soo dat het heel int lijf sit, dit snoertgen is het het [sic] vijgen blat waer mede hare schaemte bedect is, twelck los gaende & breec- kende bij haerlieden soo groote schande is, als of yemant onser natie sijne schaemte ontbloote, sij dragen gantsch geene baerden noch haer op enige gedeelten des lichaems, maer soo haest haer eenich haer begint uyt te wassen, pluckent terstont uyt ende beneemment also den vorderen wasdom. [20v] Het sijn onweetende ende ongeleerde menschen, geen kennisse hebbende vanden waren God ofte sijne gebooden, maer integendeel dienen den Duyvell ofte eenigerhande boose geesten, gelyck wij uyt hare ommegangen dickwils gespeurt hebben. Tot dien einde hebben sij onder haer fetisseros ofte Duyvel jaegers, die bij haer in groote achtinge seijn (wanneer sij op tochten gaen tegen hare vijanden om te weeten hoe het haer vergaen sa1, wanneer sij verre van haere vrienden sijn, om te weten hoe die varen, item wie dootgeslagen sal worden & wie niet) weten op verscheyden wijsen den Geest bij haer te doen comen, in sodanige gestalte als sij begeren doch meest in haer eijgen gedaen- ten als waert mede een Tapoyer. Laten hem oock wel in haer lijf vaeren inde gedaente van een vliege, ofte ander clein gedierte om door haer te spreecken toecomende dingen |
hair shaven all over the head, according to the manner of our nation. They all have very coarse and rough hair. They go stark naked except during when they feast, or go to war, for then they usually hang [adorn] their bodies with feathers of Araras, which are West Indian ravens, also with [those of] marganaus, parrots and parakeets, which are very beautiful there. The skin of the male genitals is pulled over and tied up with a small band, in such a way that it is totally confined to the body. This small string is the figleaf with which they cover their shame. The loosening or breaking of it is such a great disgrace among them, as though someone of our nation showed his private parts. They do not have beards nor [hair] on any other parts of their body, for when hair starts to grow, they will pluck it out immediately in order to prevent it growing to maturity. [20v] They are ignorant and uneducated people, not having knowledge of the true God or his commandments but, on the contrary, serve the Devil or any other evil spirits, which we have often experienced when we met each other. For this purpose they have fetisseros14 or Devil hunters among them, who are highly esteemed (when they go on expeditions against their enemies, in order to know [in advance] how they shall fare, when they are far away from their friends, to know how they are doing, and who will be beaten to death and who will not) and know of various ways to invite the Spirit to come, in any form they desire; however, most often [he appears] in their own shape as if it were a fellow Tapoyer. They also let him enter their body in the appearance of a fly, or some other small animal, in order to speak through them of future |
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die sij begeeren te weten, hun seecker betrouwende op de dingen die hij tegen haer seit. Doen de soldaten onder den Oversten Artichos- kij tot dienst der West Indische Compagnie der vereenichde Nederlanden trocken nae de verover- inge van Barra Canhou in Rio grande waren geassisteert met de Tapuyas van den Coninc Jandu wij hebben gesien ende getuygen verscheiden nederlandtscbe bevelhebberen, dat sij den Duvel bij haer dede komen in gedaente ale een Tapoyer hadde maer een been en sprack een fijne stemme gelijck een vrouwe, conde anders uyt haer niet gekent worden, doen hij nu voor haren oogen ver- dween begonden alle de vrouwen te huylen & te schreeuwen, waer mede sij hem schenen te vereeren [21r] want als sij eenige teeckenen van vreuchden of blijtschap willen betoonen bestaet in het gehuil ende gekrijsch der vrouwen. Dese natie is haer Overheit seer onderdanich ende haren be- veelen gants geboorsaem, bijsonder als sij met haren Coninck te velde gaen, ofte ten strijde tegens hare vijanden, daer hij dan voor aen moet gaen, ende heeft groot gesach, maer sijnde bij huis ofte verre vanden vijant wort soo veel niet geacht. Ende alsoo dit volck (gelijck geseit is) gantsch naect gaet, soo en kan men den Coninck noch sijn grootste Heeren niet kennen door uytmuntende clederen, dan alleenich aen ât haer ende naegelen aen haer vingeren, den Coninck ist haer opt hooft geschooren gelijck een kroon, draegt aen beijde de duijmen lange en ongecorte naegelen, ât welck neffens hem nije- mant en mach doen, Daerentegen sijn vrienden ende bevelhebberen dragen lange nagelen aen alle de vingeren uijtgesondert aende duijmen, die sij cort af snijden mochten, om den Coninck in sijn eer niet te vercorten, voorts wert onder haer meest geeert die de langste nagelen aende vingeren heeft. |
things they wish to know, giving them confidence concerning things he said to them. When the soldiers, commanded by Superior Artichoskij in the service of the West Indian Company of the United Netherlands, went to Rio Grande after the capture of Barra Canhou, [they] were assisted by Tapuia of King Jandovy. We saw, and it was witnessed by various Dutch officers, that they invited the Devil to visit them in the form of a Tapoyer, but with only one leg, and he spoke in a fine voice just like a woman, otherwise he could not have been recognized, but when he disappeared before their eyes all the women started to wail and weep, apparently somehow honoring him in this manner, [21r] for if they want to show signs of joy or happiness, they show it in the wailing and weeping of the women. This nation is very submissive to their authorities and obedient to their commands, in particular when they go away with their King, or to wage war against their enemies, in which he has to go up front, and has great authority, but when at home or far from the enemy [he is] not much esteemed. And as this people (as said before) go entirely naked, one cannot recognize the King nor the most important Gentlemen by their splendid clothes, but only by their hair and the nails of their fingers, for the hair of the King is shaven like a crown, and he has long and uncut nails on both thumbs, and no one is allowed to do likewise but him; however, his friends and officers do have long nails on all the fingers except the thumbs, which they have to cut short in order not to deprive the King of his honor. Furthermore, they honor most the person among them with the longest nails on their fingers. |
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Dit volck is seer bequaem om de voortvluchtende vijant te vervolgen, want sij door den banck seer sterck sijn int loopen, souden een paert verduijren, & sijn in occsaie van verwinninge seer geneijgt om doot te slaen sonder onderscheijt. Sij dragen ge- weer van brasilienhout gemaeckt, aen wedersij- de plat, ende scharp int midden wat dickachtich ende verheven voor aen een groote hant breet, & swaer doordringende, met dewelcke sij ijemant raec- kende salt op staen wel vergeeten. Sij dragen mede pijl end booch doch meest asegaeijen daer sij veel quaets mede konnen doen onder hare vijanden [21v] konnen die seer net uijtwerpen, daer toe sij lichte houten hebben half soo langh als hare asegaeyen*, sijn- de met een gootje uijtgehoolt, daer sij dâselve in leggen, ende soo snel van haer schieten dat het een naect menssche (geen been raeckende) doort lijf sal vliegen. Sij gebruijcken oock cleine hantbijlen daer sij lange steelen in maecken tot haer geweer tegen hare vianden, vant geweer onser soldaten maecken sij gants geen werck, seggen ât sel- ve duijvels consten te sijn. Zij marcheren oock in geen ordre, maer loopen int hondert door malcanderen, edoch soo weeten sij daer uijt sij veel quaets doen aen hare vijanden, twelck onse soldaten getuijgen tot verscheiden malen bij haer gesien te hebben. Voorts leggen sij een gants beestich leven en sorgeloos, sij en saeijen noch en planten niet, noch en trachten na geen voorraet om van te leven, komen sij ergens inde beneedenste quar- tieren buijten haer lant, daer vee of bestiael is, dat alhoewel wilt, & sich niet laet vangen inde bosschen, wij weten sijt te beloopen, & met haer asegaeijen te schieten, dat sijt onder de voet krijgen ende haer over den tegenwoor- digen tijt een spijse daer van bereiden. Eetten alles op sonder iet te bewaeren voor den dach van morgen wanneer sij sijn ter plaetse daer overvloet is |
These people are very capable in pursuing the fleeing enemy, because they are generally very good runners [and] can outrun a horse, but when victory is near they tend to kill without making a difference [between men, women, children]. They carry arms made of Brazil wood, flat on both sides and sharp, somewhat thick at the middle and more pronounced up front about one hand in width, and a powerful penetration, that when hitting someone one can forget to get up straightaway. They also carry bows and arrows but mostly spear-throwers,16 with which they can inflict a lot of damage upon their enemies [21v] and which they can throw with precision for which they have light wooden sticks half as long as their spear-throwers. These [latter] are hollowed out in the form of small channel in which they put the stick and they can shoot it so quickly that it will fly through the body of a naked human (unless it hits bone). They also use small hand axes to which they attach long handles to their arms against their enemies. They pay no attention to the arms of our soldiers, saying that these are devilish tricks. They also do not march in any order, but run about all together in a frenzy; however, they know how to make an ambush with which they inflict a lot of damage upon their enemies, which our soldiers have witnessed several times among them. Furthermore, they lead an entirely bestial and careless life, they do not sow or plant, nor do they try to maintain a stock to live off. When they arrive in the lower regions [the coastal zone] outside their country, where one can find cattle or [other] beasts, although wild and difficult to catch in the forest, they manage to outrun them and shoot them with their spear-throwers, get hold of them and then prepare them that same day. They eat everything without keeping anything for the day after tomorrow, when they are in a place of abundance |
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soo kan een man van haer soo veel eeten als 5 a 6
neer sij sijn daer niet veel te becormen is, soo connen sij oock wel 4 a 5 dagen vasten gor- dende haren buijck telckens in met seeckere basten van boomen, dat haer den honger wat doet vergeeten,17 tot dat sij weer connen daer eeten is, ende dan den bant des hongers afdoen. [22r] De gulsicheit int eeten van dit volck, doet dat sij trec- kende doort lant niet langer als 2 a 3 dagen op eene plaets konnen blijven, dat overmits sij het al opgegeten hebben, andere moeten gaen soecken. Over- sulcx maecken sij oock geen huisen dan alleen van een weynich rijs een beschutsel voor den regen, of voor de heette sonne, maeckende bij nacht groote vijeren daer sij haere hangmacken langs spannen om haer te verwarmen. Wanneer wij vertrecken soo steec- ken sij dese leger plaetsen in brant, waer aen men sien kan waer sij geweest sijn, ât welck dient tot een baecke, Wanneer men haerder begeert of bij haer begeert te wesen, dat men dan opde vijeren aengaet. De vrouwen sijn, door den banck, clein ende corter van statu- re dan de mannen, sijn mede bruijnachtich van couleu- re, dragen lanck ende swart haer, redelijck schoon van tronien, gaen oock gants naect, uijtgesondert voor hare schamelheit ende achter behangen met groenne bladeren, sij sijn haere mannen gantsch gedienstich ende onderdanich in alles wat sij begee- ren dat redelijck is, sij en connen geen overspel verdragen maer houden veel van trouwen. De mannen die een wijff begeren te trouwen, moeten aleer sij daer toe comen betoonen dat sij een recht manlijck hert hebben, het sij aen haere vijanden door cloeckmoedicheijt van wapenen, ofte bij huijs door het dragen van eenige swaere boomen, en daer toe verordineert een stuck weegs, tot een prouf |
one of them can eat as much as 5 or 6 of ours, but when there is not much to get, they are able to fast about 4 to 5 days strapping up their stomach each time with a particular tree bark, that will make them forget the hunger, until they again reach [a place] where there is food, and take off the hunger band. [22r] The gluttonous eating of this people is caused by their trekking throughout the country, for they cannot stay in one place longer than 2 to 3 days: when they have already eaten everything [there], others have to go look for food. Similarly they do not build houses either, they only make a protection of some reeds against the rain or the sun, [and] at night they make large fires next to which they hang their hammocks to warm themselves. When we leave they set these sites on fire, which shows that they have been there, and serves as a beacon when one needs to meet them as one [can] track the fires. The women are in general small and shorter of stature than the men. They are also brownish of color, have long black hair, a rather beautiful face, and go entirely naked, except for their private parts and behind [which are] covered with leaves. They are very servile to their men and submissive in all they need that is reasonable, and they cannot tolerate adultery but prefer to marry. The men who desire to marry must first show that they have a honest, manly heart, either before their enemies through bravery of arms or at home by carrying a few heavy trees [logs] which have to be dispatched in a test of strength, |
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harer starckheit, welcke manhaftige quali- teijten voor ijder gebleecken soo wort haer een wijff gegeven, ende dat met volgende Ceremonien. Men steeckt haer in elcke wange een gat [22v] daer sij stockjens of witte beentgens in dragen in fatsoen al waren ât stuckjens afgebroocken van taback pijpen, sommige 3, 4 a 5 duijmen lanck, ât welck een recht teecken is, dat sij op haere wijse getrouwt zijn. Die dese teeckens niet en dragen, en nochtans tot hare mannelijcke jaren gecomen sijn, worden in clein respect en achtinge gehouden, dese gaetgens inde wangen worden oock wel gegeven aen die, die twee koppen van hare vijanden gebracht, tot teecken van datse die gedoot hebben. Wanneer eenich houwelijck gecelebreert wort dat geschiet in presentie van haren koninck, met groot gehuil ende gecrijsch van vrouwen ende kinderen, dat op hare maniere (gelijck vooren oock geseijt wert) een teecken van groote eer en blijdschap is, Dese feeste 4 a 5 dagen geduirt hebbende met huijlen en schreeuwen soo wort hem de bruijt toegebracht tegens den avont in een toebereijden dans daer sij op haer maniere seer luijde onder singen, hebbende haer lijff ende aensichten opt alder costelijcxste beschildert met verwen karamentijn, ururu en jeni- paba daerenboven behangen met alderhande soorten van schoone veederen, datse beeter een voogel ofte eenich monster, dan een mensch gelijcken. Ontbreeck ter aen dit cieraet dan noch ijet dat wort met Coralen* ende bellen geholpen, dat men hare dansen soo verre hoort clincken alls eenigen bellard ofte gildes opt uijtgaen vande vasten. Na dese feesten van het eerste trouwen vermogen sij soo veel vrouwen te nemen als sij begeeren, Maer en trouwen niet meer op soodanige Ceremonien als dese want indien sij dan noch een andere dochter tot haer vrouwen begeerden, soo en can de vader de dochter vol- gens hare manieren, hun die niet weijgeren, [23r] doch hoe grooter persoonagie, hoe meerder vrouwen |
[and] when their manly qualities have been demonstrated to all, then a wife is given in the following ceremonies. They make a hole in each cheek [22v] through which they put small sticks or small white bones according to the fashion, resembling pieces of broken tobacco pipes, some measuring 3, 4 to 5 thumbs long, a true sign that they married according to their custom. Those who do not wear these signs but have reached their manly years are not respected or esteemed much. These holes are also given to those who have brought two heads of their enemies, as a sign that they have killed them. When a marriage is being celebrated, it happens in the presence of their King, with great crying and screaming of the women and children, which according to their custom (as is indeed being said) is a sign of great honor and joy. Once this feast has gone on for 4 to 5 days with crying and screaming, the bride is brought to him at nightfall during a special dance during which they sing aloud according to their custom, having painted their bodies and faces beautifully with karamentijn,18 ururu [annotto] and jenipaba [genipa] as well as adorning themselves with all sorts of beautiful feathers, so that they rather resemble a bird or monster instead of a human. If something is still missing from this adornment, it is completed with beads and bells, so that one can hear their dancing as far away as the bell ringer and guilds when fasting. After these feasts of the first marriage, they are allowed to take as many women as they wish, but do not marry any more in such a ceremony as this one because if they wish to have another daughter as their wife, the father cannot refuse the daughter according to their customs [23r]; however, the more important the person, the more women he can |
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dat hij heeft want den Coninck heefter wel vyff en twintich. Als een vrouwe van haerlieden comt te baren, soo nemen sy gemeenlijck een andre ende houden de voorgaende bij nae als haer slavinne die haer dan moet gehoorsamen om waer sij gaen oft vertrecken hunne bagagie ende ha- macken nae te dragen, Item waer sij comen te lege- ren rijs te haelen, een hutte te maecken, sonder dat sij de vrouwen ergens in behulpsaem willen sijn, Maer hebben liever om niet te verstijven een grooten boom van 2 a 300â¯lb een stuck weegs te dragen, latende de vrouwen ondertusschen hare arbeijt doen daer se (seg- gen sij) toe gebooren sijn. Ende alsoo sij noch God noch Godsdienst en kennen soo en weten zij oock noch van doop noch van besnijdenisse niettemin hebben eene ceremonie met hare kinderen wanneer sij seven of acht jaeren out sijn dan maecken sij die soose seggen Menschen, Ende geschiet aldus de vrouwen komen met haer ordinarie getijer bij malcanderen, daer de outste van dese vrouwen het kint op neemt ende hout het dat sij in ijder oor int onderste lelleken een gat steecken als mede een boven de kinne inde benedenste lip, daer sij gemeenlijck groene, witte, swarte ofte coleur- de steentjes in setten, Ende steecken door de gaten inde ooren houtjes ofte visbeentjens daer toe gemaeckt dit sijn de teeckenen sijnder Mensheit, Hier over- houden de geseide vrouwen feeste met haer ordi- narie geschreeuw ende gehuil als voor verhaelt soo ijemant van haer luijden comt te sterven het zij Man of Vrou die eetten sij doot sijnde op, seggende dat die niet beter bewaert noch begraven [23v] kan werden als in haer lichaemen, & geschiet al- dus, sij nemen het doode lichaem, wasschen ende schrobben het schoon, Maecken een groot vier op dâaerde, leggen ât lichaem daer op en bradent, wel geroost sijnde, ende gaer wesende eeten op, met groot gehuil ende geraes, somwijlen en mogen sijt niet tegelijck op dan bewaren sij het overschot tot gelegener tijt, bijsonder het gebeente dat |
have, for the King has at least 25. When a woman among them gives birth, they usually take another [wife] and keep the previous one as a slave who must obey them wherever they go or leave in order to carry their luggage and hammocks. Likewise, for the men who stay, they fetch reeds, build huts, without [the men] helping the women in any way. [They] prefer not to get stiff by carrying away a large tree weighing 2 to 300 pounds, leaving the women to do their work, which (as they say) they were born to do. And because they do not know God or Religion, they do not know about baptism or circumcision. Despite this they have a ceremony with their children when they are seven or eight years old in order to make them human, as they say, and it happens in the following manner: the women gather with their ordinary screaming, and the oldest of these women lifts the child up and holds it so she can pierce a hole in each lower earlobe as well as one in the lower lip above the chin in which they commonly put small green, white, black or colored stones, and stick through the holes of the ears small wooden sticks or fish bones which have been shaped for that purpose. These are the signs of their humanity, and for this the said women hold feasts with their ordinairy screaming and crying as said before. When someone of this people dies, a man or a woman, they will eat them up once they are dead, saying that this person cannot be better kept or buried [23v] than in their bodies and it happens as follows: they take the dead body, wash and scrub it clean, make a large fire upon the ground, put the body on top of it to burn. Once well roasted and cooked, they will eat it with great crying and making loud noises. Sometimes, when they cannot eat it all at once, they will keep the rest until a more appropriate moment, especially |
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sij branden & stampent dan tot pulpher doent onder de farinha* en eettent daer mede op. De naeste vrienden ondertusschen vande overledenen het sij man ofte vrouw laten hun ât haer afscheren âtwelck een teecken is datse over hare doode vrien- den treuren, Het huilen ende crijten der vrien- den en duirt niet langer als tot het doode lichaem schoon opgegeten is. Soo een koninck ofte Comatijn dat is des Coninckx soon, die naest den Coninck gebijet, ofte eenich ander groot heer sterft, soo worden sij van haere vrou- wen alleen opgegeten want daer geen slechte persoonen om mede te eeten bij te pas en comen. Op de plaetse waer sulcken eenen sterft, word een gedachtenisse gestelt, daer sij alle jaren eens bij comen om den duijvel een offerhande te doen, Op dat sij zijne knechten mogen wor- den, want sij hem voor haer Godt houden, dit en mach de slechte lijeden niet gebeuren. Wanneer het gebeurt dat een vrouwe baren[de] een doot kint ter werelt brengt, soo eeten sijt selve weeder op, seggende het niet beeter kan bewaert worden als in haer eijgen lichaem [24r] van waer het gecomen is. De jonge kinderen beginnen daer om de negen ofte tien weecken te gaen âtwelck het meeste is om te ver- wonderen,20 ende loopen dan int water om te leren swemmen, want men vint niemand onder haer hij zij vrouw ofte man of konnen meesterlijck swemmen, Sij worden oock int gemeen heel out, de sommi- ge hondert vijftich, hondert sestich, tot twee hon- dert jaeren, soo datse niet meer gaen en komen, maer moeten in hamacken gedraegen worden, sijn niettemin in groote achtinge, Want hoe ouder datse sijn, hoe meerder eere dat haer wort aen- gedaen, te weeten onder de manspersonen, maer niet onder de vrouwen, want een vrouwe (als |
the bones, which they burn and grind down to powder to mix with the farinha and eat it altogether. In the meantime the closest friends of the deceased, be they a man or a woman, have their hair cut off as a sign that they mourn their dead friend. The crying and lamenting of the friends takes no longer than the consumption of the dead body. When a King or Comatijn19 (that is the Kingâs son, who obeys the King) or any other important lord dies, they will all be consumed by their women because no evil persons are allowed to eat with them. In the place where such a person dies, a memorial shrine is placed, which they come to every year, to make offerings to the Devil, so they will be his vassals, because they take him to be their God. This cannot happen to the evil persons. When it happens that a woman gives birth to a dead child, she will eat it herself straight away, saying that there is no better way to keep it than in her own body [24r], where it came from. The young children start walking at about nine or ten weeks, which is very marvelous, and then walk into the water to learn how to swim, for one finds nobody amongst them, woman or man, who [does not] masters swimming. They also live to be very old, some one hundred and fifty, one hundred and sixty, up to two hundred years, so that they cannot come and go anymore, but must be carried in hammocks; however, they are highly esteemed, because the older they are, the more honor is accounted to them, amongst men, but not amongst the |
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vooren verhaelt) maer een kint of twee gehadt hebbende, wort gehouden als een slavinne. De Tapuyas comen dickmael uijt haer lant naer de beneedenste frontieren ende grensen van bra- sil, voornamentlijck wanneer het drooge somers zijn, datse in haer lant niet veel te eeten en hebben, want sij zelve houden de benedenste quartieren van Brasil voor beeter, gesonder, ende vrucbtbaerer, dan haer eygen lant, twelc sij seggen dat klipachtich, & van weynich leef- tocht versien, ende daerenboven vol ongediert, insonderheit sijn daer groote venijnige slangen die wel 24 voeten lanck sijn, hebbende een schilt opt lijf, dese vallen haer dickwils onversiens uijt de klip- pen aen en bijten haer in armmen ende beenen, dat de tanden inde wonden steecken blijven, welcke beet soo venijnnich is, datse terstont binnen 4 a 5 uiren [24v] daer van sterven, Evenwel het doode lichaem vande sooda- nige (schoon al met het fenijn vandien beet onsteecken zijnde) eeten sijt nochtans op, en ât en schadet haerlieden niet, sij seggen oock groote rivieren in haer lant te hebben, waerin een soorte van visschen is die sij noemen Carsva de gedaente van lijff hebbende als een varcken uijtgesondert de steert die als een vis is, dese visschen sijn haer zeer sorgelijck wanneer sij de rijvieren passeren bijten haer stuck uijt het lijff jaa somwijlen arm ende beenen aff. In haer landt seggense geen vee ofte bestiael te sijn tot lijftocht dienende anders als wilde varckens daerse altemet eenige van becomen, sij zeggen mede datse somwijlen wel 2 a 3 dagen reijsen sonder bij te komen, anders dan âtgeene dat vanden dauw smor- gens op de klippen inde houckjens ende winckeltjens bij een geloopen is, daer valt oock hoonich die sij vande boomen krijgen, valt soo dick en wilt wit als melc die sij eetten om haer lijff tâonderhouden. Sij weeten oock een seecker worteltjs te vinden dat ontrent een stroo dick ende een voet lanck is, âtwelck sij de vrouwen geven om klein te knauwen diet bij |
women, because a woman (as said before) who has had one or two children is kept as a slave. The Tapuyas often come down from their country towards the lower frontiers and limits of Brazil, notably when there are dry summers, since there is not much for them to eat, because they consider the lower quarters of Brazil to be better, healthier, and more fertile than their own country, which they say is rocky and provides little food, and also full of vermin, especially large venomous snakes, measuring 24 feet in length, with a shield [carapace] on their body, which often come out of the rocks suddenly and bite them on the arms and legs, in such manner that the teeth remain planted in the wounds. Their bite is so venomous that one dies instantly within 4 to 5 hours. [24v] Despite this, they also eat the body [of those who die of snake bite] (being cleaned of the venom that was injected by the bite), and it does not harm these people. They also tell us that they have great rivers in their country, in which swims a species of fish that they call Carsva,21 having the bodily appearance of a pig, with the exception of the tail which is like [that of] a fish. These fish cause a lot of sorrow when they cross the rivers, [for they] bite a piece off out of their body, yes, sometimes arms and legs. They say there are no cattle or beasts in their country to serve as food other than wild pigs, of which they catch a few. They also say that they sometimes travel for 2 to 3 days without finding water, except for the dew that has gathered on the rocks in the little corners and angles in the morning. There is also honey, which they get from the trees, very thick and white as milk, which they eat to maintain their body. They also know there is a certain tuber to be found, about one straw thick and one foot long, which they give to the women, who chew it |
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malcanderen vergaderen, gekauwt sijnde, ende eenen dranck daer uijt maecken die sij in haere tael Cauwa[u] noemen waeraen, sij haer bescheidelijck droncken connen drincken. Wanneer dese Tapoeyers in dese benedenste quartieren van Brasil comen, daer toe gelast van sConincx wegen soo brengense tot een teec- ken des Conincx bardesaen mede, die den oversten Artichoski van wegen de Geoctroijeerde West Indische [25r] Compagnie haer gegeven heeft, sij komen gemeenlijck als vrienden in rio grande ofte dese quartieren, maer wech gaende connen niet scheiden sonder de inwoonde- ren quaet te doen, Oversulcx moet men haer altijt een convoy mede geven, diese tot op de grenssen van ge- leijt op datse niemant overlast en doen. Lager stont Hiermede sal besluijten âtgeene tot noch toe schrijf- waerdichs ondervonden hebben, Bidde den leser wil de quade distinctien ende misspellingen (niet den beschrijver maer) den uijtschrijver te goede houden, Ick wensch u dan, wije dat ghij sijt, dat ghij langh wel moet varen Actum reciffe de Parnambuco den lesten dach hoijmaent des jaers 1639 Was onderteijckent Elias Herckmans |
then gather it, being chewed, and prepare a drink out of it that they call in their language Cauwa[u] with which they can drink themselves modestly drunk. When these Tapoeyers come down to the lower quarters of Brazil, being ordered by the King, they bring with them an European battle axe as a sign of the King, which the superior Artichoski of the WICÂ [25r] gave them. They generally come to Rio Grande or these quarters as friends, but when leaving they cannot part without hurting the inhabitants. Therefore one must always send out a convoy to accompany them to the border so that they are not a nuisance. Written below With this I shall conclude what was considered hitherto noteworthy, [and] pray the reader to consider the bad handwriting and misspellings [to be] of the editor (and not the writer), I wish you, that thou mayest be seated, that thou mayest sail long Actum Reciffe at Parnambuco the last day of the haymonth [July] of the year 1639, Was signed Elias Herckmans |
Henk den Heijer and Benjamin N. Teensma, Nederlands-Brazilië in Kaart: Nederlanders in het Atlantisch gebied, 1600â1650. Den corte beschrijvinge inhoudende de cust van Brazil ende meer andre plaetsen (Zutphen: Walburg Pers, 2011), 59â60. See also Jacob A. Worp, âElias Herckmans,â Oud Holland 11, no. 3 (1893): 162â178; Guilherme Gomes da Silveira DâÃvila Lins, Governantes da ParaÃba no Brasil colonial 1585â1808. Uma revisão crÃtica da relação nominal e cronológica, 2nd ed. (João Pessoa: Edições Fotograf, 2007), 61â64; Britt Dams, âElias Herckmans: A Poet at the Borders of Dutch Brazil,â in The Dutch Trading Companies as Knowledge Networks, ed. Siegfried Huigen, Jan L. de Jong, and Elmer Kolfin, Intersections 14 (Leiden: Brill, 2010), 19â37; Noortje de Groot, âEen avontuurlijke carrièrejager. Van de Republiek naar Nederlands Brazilië. De veelzijdige loopbaan van dichter, koopman en compagniesdienaar Elias Herckmans (1596â1644)â (Masterâs thesis, University of Amsterdam, 2014).
Worp, âElias Herckmans,â 173â174. His field report and cartographic sketches can be found in Caspar Barlaeus, Rerum per octennium in Brasilia et alibi nuper gestarum, sub præfectura illustrissimi comitis I. Mauritii, Nassoviæ (Amsterdam: Johannes Blaeu, 1647) after page 24.
Worp, âElias Herckmans,â 176â177. For his Chile journal transcribed in Dutch, see Henk den Heijer, Goud en Indianen: Het journaal van Hendrick Brouwers expeditie naar Chili in 1643, Linschoten-Vereeniging CXIV (Zutphen: Walburg Pers, 2015); for a translation into English, see Mark Meuwese, To the Shores of Chile: The Journal and History of the Brouwer Expedition to Valdivia in 1643, Latin American Originals 14 (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2020).
The resemblance between the two documents was pointed out by Boogaart, âInfernal Allies,â 532.
Thomaz Pompeu Sobrinho, âOs Tapuia do Nordeste e a Monografia de Elias Heckman,â Revista do Instituto do Ceará 48 (1935): 7â8. Cardim singled out 76 Tapuia tribes, of which âNhandejúâ may suggest a link with Jandovy: Tratado, 198â206. The editors of Cardimâs Tratado, Baptista Caetano, Capistrano de Abreu and Rodolpho Garcia, suggested in their notes that the name Nhandejú could derive from the Tupi word nhandu or ñandu, the American ostrich, and referring to its great running speed and skills; these same skills are attributed to the Tapuia of Jandovy. Cardim, Tratado, 208.
De Laet, Historie, 404. Bejamin N. Teensma proposed that the name Tarairyou derives from the South American lungfish t(a)raÃra boÃa or caramurú (Lapidosiren paradoxa): âThe Mission of Rudolph Baro in Search of the Nhanduà in the Macaguá Mountains, 1647,â in Dutch Brazil, Vol. I. Documents in the Leiden University Library, ed. Cristina Ferrão and José Paulo (Rio de Janeiro: Editora Index, 1997), 361.
Rudolf R. Schuller, âZur Affinität der Tapúya-Indianer des âTheatrum Rerum Naturalium Brasiliaeâ,â Internationales Archiv für Ethnographie 21 (1912): 81â82; Pompeu Sobrinho, âOs Tapuiaâ; Robert H. Lowie, âThe Tarairiu,â in Handbook of South American Indians Vol. 1, ed. Julian H. Steward, Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 143 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office), 563â566. For the Cariri see Claudius Henricus de Goeje, âDas Kariri (Nordost-Brasilien),â Journal de la Société des Américanistes 24 (1932): 147â178.
Boogaart, âInfernal Allies,â 521 n. 5.
Elias Herckmans, âGenerale Beschrijvinge vande Capitanie Paraiba,â Bijdragen en Mededeelingen van het Historisch Genootschap 2 (1879): 358â367.
Elias Herckmans, âDescripção geral da Capitania da Parahyba,â Revista do Instituto Archeologico e Geographico Pernambucano 5, no. 31 (1886): 239â288.
José Antônio Gonsalves de Mello, Fontes para a História do Brasil Holandes, Vol. II: A Administração da Conquista (Recife: CEPE, 2004), 53â112.
Cashew fruit and seeds (Anacardium occidentale).
Further up in the lands translated as âhighlandsâ here.
Feitiçeiros (P.), âwizardsâ. See for example Cardim, Tratado, 162.
Bonnet (F.), cap.
Herckmans mentions spear-throwers and bows and arrows together but it is probably the only mention of bows and arrows among the Tapuia.
In margin: bant des hongers.
Karamentijn is a shade of red made from the dried bodies of the female cochineal insect.
Comantijn, perhaps an African word? See also Schuller, âZur Affinität der Tapúya-Indianer,â 91. Benjamin Teensma suggested Comati, the son of Jandovy. However, de Laet suggests it is rather the son of the brother of Jandovy. See Benjamin N. Teensma, âRoelof Baroâs Tarairiú-monument,â Yumtzilob, Tijdschrift over de Americaâs 11, no. 3 (1999): 364; de Laet, Historie, 403.
In margin: kinderen in 9 weken gaen [lopen].
Perhaps a piranha, see Santos, âCariri e Tarairiú?,â Appendix F, 740.