How Five Missionaries were Killed in 1943
– Caratábidé was hoeing his garden:
Ijmai had come to Paraguay from Bolivia for a Bible Conference. Since he was from the group which killed the New Tribes missionaries, we felt it might be good to probe his memory as to just how it happened. We had heard so many conflicting stories, and after telling him the last story we’d heard, he commented, “They didn’t know.” This is his version of what happened.
The men from the Cochocóigosode grouop were going off to the Jnupedógosode the day the men were killed. Many of them had already left and others were getting ready to follow. Ijmai was in the group who had already left.
Caratábidé, who was also called Ejóne had gone out to his garden to hoe when he heard the missionary men talking as they approached. He ran back to camp and told the rest of the group to flee, and that “white people” were coming. Everyone left the camp.
The missionaries finally arrived at the camp and were there for quite awhile before any of the Cochocóigosode had the courage to shoot arrows at them. Soriane was one of the first to shoot, but he missed. Eventually one of them was wounded in the shoulder, after which all the missionaries fled the camp.
One of the Ayoreos said, “They don’t have guns, because they didn’t fire upon us when we shot our arrows.”
He cut a tree branch then and said, “I’ll use this for a club. Let’s follow them and kill them.”
They didn’t follow on the open path the missionaries had taken, but spread out into the jungle and surrounded them. When the missionaries sensed someone was coming, they took off their hats and waved them at the Ayoreos.
The Ayoreos, however, didn’t know whether it was a gesture of friendship or not, and decided to go ahead with the killing.
They buried the five missionaries on the bank of the river (probably the Tucavaca River), and then left that place, fearing retaliation.
During rainy season the Ayoré́ settled down in one place to raise their rainy season crops. And so it was, that after some time had elapsed, the group returned to harvest their small garden plots and were found there by an expedition that had gone out in search of the missing missionaries.
The expedition killed one of Ayoré group whose name was Tocoidé.
(Ijmai was not aware that Tocoidé had shot one of the expedition first, and when this was told, he smiled as if he was pleased about it before going on with his story.)
The Ayoreos waited until the expedition had left to return and bury Tocoidé who he had been shot in the leg, stomach, and chest. He was defending his wife, fearing that the expedition might harm her.
The following is a list that Ijmai gave us of the names of the men who killed the five missionaries, their clan names, group names, and where they first came out into civilization. He also told us if they had become believers or not.
- Chacajnáine Etacorei; Uechamitogosi; he came out into civilization in Rincon de Tigre, where he heard God’s Word and put his faith in Christ.
- Esoi Jnurumini; Cochocoigosi; later called Soriané – father of Soria; he came out first in Tobité, heard the Gospel and came to know the Lord.
- Upoide Chiquenori; Cochocoigosi; he came out first in Tobité and probably heard the Word from the missionaries, but died soon after, and Ijmai doubts that he knew the Lord.
- Pegai Cutamuraja; Cochocoigosi; he died before reaching civilization, killed by the Guidaigosode.
- Arujade Chiquenori; Pajogosi; later called Ucaredé – father of Ucaré; he was killed by the Guidaigosode before reaching civilization.
- The chief of the group who killed the five men was Iringoine.
- The weapons used for the killing them were lances and clubs.
Cuchacarataide, from Zapoco, Bolivia, was present when Ijmai was giving us this information and commented the following: “When it was discovered that the men had no guns, someone should have counseled the killers to stop. Ayoreos generally listen to “paquiraquéode” (counseling to not do something),” he said. He felt it was an indication of guilt on their part, because they are usually careful to not kill people who have good intentions.
The group that our five men stumbled upon were the Cochocoigosode.
Ijmai – Campo Loro, Paraguay – 1985.
Text given in person to Howard and Maxine Morarie.
Transcribed and translated to English by: Maxine Morarie.
