Making Kin Out Of Others In Amazonia

This article analyses the process of producing kinship among various Amazonian peoples, focusing primarily on the Wari’, a Txapakura‐speaking people living in Western Amazonia (Brazil). It argues that the production of kin cannot be related exclusively to the domestic or intra‐tribal domain, since kinship emerges through a constant dialogue with non‐human entities. By examining the significance of alimentary taboos associated with couvade practices in a number of groups, it shows that the new‐born is made human by means of the production of its body as a human body in contraposition to animal bodies.