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  Jaguar Teeth Necklace
 


Matses member of the Jaguar Clan wearing a jaguar teeth necklace. Matses men occasionally hunt jaguars, but they do not do so for meat. They do, however, use the teeth and hide for ornamental y ceremonial purposes.  In addition to the teeth of big cats, the necklace is composed of monkey teeth.  The use of teeth as ornaments is strictly restricted to men and women may not wear jaguar or monkey teeth as this would offend the animal spirits.  Women can wear necklaces made from seeds, frog bones, and tail spines from freshwater stingrays.


 
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Text © 2007 Matses.info, Photos © 2007, Bjorn Svensson, all rights reserved, Jaguar Teeth Necklace.