
MateoSobodeChiqueno’sAyoreoancestorsworshipedthesun,whichtheysawasasuperiorandgenerousbeing.Butforhimandhisgeneration,thesunhasprimarilybecomeathreat,turningdeforestedareasintodry,dustyplains—filmedherebeautifullybutominously.<br/> SomeAyoreostillliveinseclusionintheforestsoftheChacoinParaguay.Butmanymore,amongthemSobodeChiqueno,wereherdedintoisolatedsettlementsbymissionaries,whotooktheirlandandforciblyconvertedthemtoChristianity.<br/> HestartedrecordingAyoreoconversations,stories,andsongsinthe1970s,andisstilltravelingtoAyoreocommunitieswithhisnow-antiquecassetterecordertointerviewthemandcollecttheirvoicesforhisaudioarchive.Occasionallythedeviceeatsatape,whichhefixeswithpatientfiddling.Theconversationsexpressuncertaintyaboutthelossofidentity.Isitaproblemthataculturedisappearsinordertoadapttoanother?