Matis Animal Feasts: minimal mimesis for social relations weaving: minimal mimesis for social relations weaving

In this paper, I describe how the Matis animal feasts are important events for the Matis to try establishing relationships with strangers, especially with the animalumans, animals that are humans. These rituals are an important cosmo-socio-logical investment for the Matis as they are a constituent part of the Matis economy of culture. I also comment on the matis’ morphological scientific observation, with its emphasis on the plant’s body parts named after animal’s organs. I intend to show how the predominant aesthetic in these animal parties is minimalist and mimetically subtle, especially when it concerns the animal clothes, masks and patterns the Matis produce and reproduce when en-acting animals and weaving their clothes (bracelets and anklets). I reflect on the sort of mimesis they produce as a valuable way of weavestablishing relations with the foreigners (be they animals, disembodied beings or other foreigners). Key words: Matis; Javari; human-animal relations; performance; ritual; jaguar.