The Brothers of the River: A Pirahã Origin Myth

Long ago, before the world was as it is now, there were two brothers who lived with their people along a mighty river. Their village was full of laughter and stories, and the people had many ways to understand the world. They sang of the spirits in the trees, the fish in the river, and the stars above. The older brother, Hapa, was strong and proud, always looking to the future. He dreamed of building great villages and storing food so that their people would never know hunger. The younger brother, Nima, was quiet and watchful, content to live each day as it came.

The Strangers Arrive

One season, strangers arrived from beyond the river, wearing shiny clothes and speaking words no one understood. They brought strange tools and promises of friendship, but their faces were cold. Hapa welcomed them, seeing in their tools the power to build the great future he dreamed of. He traded fish and game for shiny metal blades and pots, telling the people this was the way forward.