Things that white men have in great quantity: Chickens and other exotic birds among Karitiana (Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon)

This article discusses the inclusion of domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus, Linnaeus 1758) and other exotic bird species as part of the knowledge and practices related to birds (an ethnoornithology) among the Karitiana, a Tupi-Arikém-speaking indigenous people in the northern part of the state of Rondônia, in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon . Chickens are believed to have been introduced to the Amazon basin after contact with non-indigenous population, although this claim is controversial . They were initially associated with certain native birds . However, certain remarkable characteristics of these birds soon sparked reflection through which the species was gradually distinguished from the birds of the forest . These reflections influence how the Karitiana currently relate to chickens, which includes raising them in the villages, a practice encouraged by public policies related to food production, security, and sovereignty .