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The fine body designs made by the Kadiwéu
are one of the most notable forms of their artistic
expression. Skilled painters cover faces with
minute symmetric designs, drawn with a paint obtained
from a mixture of genipap juice plus powdered
charcoal and applied with a fine sliver of wood
or bamboo. In the past, body painting marked the
difference between nobles, warriors and captives.
Kadiwéu women produce equally
beautiful items of pottery: vases of various sizes
and shapes, plates also of various sizes and depths,
animals, and wall decorations, among other creative
pieces. Each woman decorates these items with
distinct patterns, adhering to a rich but fixed
repertoire of forms completed with varying colours.
The raw material for their work derives from special
clay pits, which contain clay of an ideal consistency
and tonality for making durable pottery. The pigments
for the painting are acquired from sands of a
wide variety of tones, while some of the details
are varnished with holywood tree resin.
Kadiwéu art is also expressed
in the songs of the older women, in the music
of the flute and drum players, and in the collective
dances.
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