Dr. Jane Granskog
OUTLINE OF GEOGRAPHIC AND CULTURAL AREAS
I. Topographical Regions - 3 Zones - Western, Central and Eastern
A. Western Zone - Andean area - Location of pre-Columbian Inca civilization; narrow Andean chain of mountains with three divisions:
1. Northern Andes - Columbia, Equador, part of Peru - wet rainforest (coastal) to highlands; N. Columbia included in Circum-carribean pre-Columbian cultural area characterized by Chibchan chiefdoms; South (Equador, Peru) - part of Northern extension of Inca empire
2. Central Andes - Peru, part of Bolivia - coastal desert (to N. Chile, increasing aridity to S, major population in river valleys); highlands - intermontane grasslands, primary locus of Incan civilization, Quechua & Aymara Indians
3. Southern Andes - Chile - Atacama coastal desert (N), wet, cold archipelago (S); single mountain. chain; simple horticulturalists (Mapuche, Araucanians, s. of Atacama desert, both on coast and in highlands); shellfish foragers in archipelago (Chono, Alacaluf); hunters & gatherers, Tierra del Fuego (Ona, Yaghan)
B. Central Zone - Lowlands, 5 zones ranging from temperate (S) to tropical (N)
1. Patagonia - S. Argentina - high, semi-desert tableland, windy, cold to temperate, hunters and gatherers, Tehuelche
2. Pampas - Argentina, continuation of Patagonia but lower elevation, richer soils, area of guanaco and rhea (ostrich); h. & g, Puelche, Tehuelche
3. Gran Chaco - N. Argentina, Paraguay, S. Bolivia - transitional area, vast plain, wet & dry season, savannah, hot in dry season, swampy during wet season; little habitation, h & g, Mataco, Ache (Guayaki)
4. Amazon Basin - E. flanks of Andes (E. part of Bolivia, Peru, Equador), S. Columbia & Venezuela, major part of Brazil - true tropics, low elevation, heavy rainfall, extensive water drainage sys. for transportation; predominantly. slash & burn horticulture (w/ variable amounts of hunting, fishing, etc.), e.g.: Yanamamo (N), Waiyapi (E), N. Kayapo (SE), Jivaro/Shuar (NW), Amahuaca (W), Mundurucu etc; some foragers (e.g. Siriono/Yuqui in E. Bolivia; Nukak in SE Columbia-NW Amazon)
5. Orinoco Flats - Coastal plains of Venezuela - irregular rainfall, grasslands; few hunting & gathering and simple horticulturalists, Carib, Warao & Arawak
C. Eastern Zone - E. Brazilian Highlands - diverse area, largest
highland area characterized by grasslands w/ few trees; sub-tropic climate
w/ ample rainfall; pre-Columbian, mostly foragers w/ few horticulturalists
because of ample wildlife & flora; Ge-speaking groups, Shavante, Bororo,
S. Kayapo, Tupi, Kaingang
II. Summary of Major Cultural Areas
A. Andean area - major area for present peasant (subsistence agriculture) Indian groups including Quechua and Aymara; sedentary farming villages
B. South (Chilean Archipelago, Pampas, Patagonia), Gran Chaco, E. Brazilian Highlands, E. flanks of Andes - primarily occupied by foragers (hunters & gatherers) during pre-Columbian period; small nomadic bands; few remaining today -- e.g., Siriono/Yuqui in E. Bolivia, Guayaki/Ache in Gran Chaco area
C. Amazonia (see I.B.4) - area of a variety of tribal tropical forest horticulturalists (w/ varying amounts. of hunting & gathering) in sedentary communities; majority of groups, patrilineal w/ ideology of male dominance
D. Circum-Carribean - N. part of Columbia and Venezuela, Greater Antilles - pre-Columbian home of Chibchan, Arawakan, Carib theocratic chiefdoms; practiced intensive irrigation agriculture, stratified class society; high level of warfare; major location of matrilineal cultures in S. America
Patagonia
Pampas
Gran Chaco
Brazilian Highlands
Amazon Basin Tropical Rainforest
Orinoco Basin
Carribbean Littoral
Andes- E-W (1) Andes; (2) Pacific littoral; (3) tropical montana