The Bororo are an indigenous people living in the Mato Grosso region of west central Brazil. Primarily hunter-gatherers, the Bororo all but disappeared as an ethnic group during the mid-twentieth century. The most recent census in 1997 estimates their population to be about 1,000, up from the 800 estimated to be living at the time of this field recording in late 1980s.

The music in this recording includes a deeply complex funeral rite featuring the parira flute, rattles, and variety of chants that are employed at deliberate points in the ritual. Mediated by a shaman, or bari, the sonic world represents a medium for the spiritual and the material to be reconciled in the wake of death. Liner notes include detailed information on the Bororo and the meaning of the chants as well as a further reading list.

FREE DOWNLOAD
Please enjoy a free download of the song “Aije: The Sound of the Bull-Roarers”

This album is part of the UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music. More than 125 albums are being released by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings to make the series publicly available, including a dozen never-released albums of musical traditions from around the globe.

Track Listing