In the Enawene Nawe culture, their religious dictates that the one of the the Shaman is expected to carry out is to interpret the messages of the Spirits.

The sacred flutes are of these spirits-each of which is believed to inhabit one part of the Enawene Nawe territory. Member of the group are by other group members into the which places great importance on the care of these territories above all else, through a ritual that reenacts the consequences for abusing the flutes. This the behavior of group members, as they internalize the understanding that members should take only what they need from their environment. The of behavior that are developed lead the sustainability of the social group.

The Enawene Nawe ritual also dictates the subsistence activities of group members. It associates the involved in the construction of implements involved in obtaining their food, as well as the procedures involved in preserving it, with appeasing their spirits. By dividing labor along gender lines, the ritual promotes the of the group as it organizes the members to ensure necessary tasks are accomplished.

As the group is exposed to new technologies and is forced to deal with the outside world, their practices adapt, demonstrating that culture is indeed an.