Biblioteca Digital Curt Nimuendajú

Scanned by Barbara Watanabe (Dept. of Anthropology, NMNH/Smithsonian)

The nucleous of this study of the eastern and southern Žè tribes is based upon the doctor's thesis of M. Hermann Ploetz, a thesis that has been kept at the University of Vienna. The author has wished to intrust his manuscript still unedited to me to make a translation of it in order to publish it in this work.

As for my part, I was engaging in some research on the Žè tribes; I have taken advantage, with the authorization of Dr. Ploetz, of joining my observations and notes to his, and from this collaboration originated the work which we present to the public, conscious of certain deficiencies which are attributed to the fact that, in consequence of our distance from all large scientific libraries, we have not been able, neither of us, to consult the collection of books discussing eastern and southern Brazil.

This article is intended to form the first part of an entire work on the material civilization and social and religious life of the Žè. We hope, both of us, that our sojourn in America will permit us to add to the bibliographical writings some observations made upon the people.

I wish to point out in this preface that I alone am to sign, the importance of the work of my collaborator and colleague, and the energy and disregard of private interest, which has been proved by his conducting the research under circumstances often so tragic that they stirred us up to anything rather than the study of the tribes of America.

Through his zeal, M. Ploetz has deserved well of Americanism, and may this work, which is only a beginning, be able to open up a cycle of similar researches.

I wish to thank heartily Dr. Ploetz for the confidence he has had in me and for the amiability with which he has received the changes and additions which I have suggested.

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