An interesting facet of Mehinacu life was the practice of systematic isolation, which could encompass many years of a person’s life. Seclusion began with the birth of a child, when the mother, father, and child remained behind a wooden partition in their living area for several weeks or months, especially if there were no other children in the family. The child continued
to be secluded until about 1-1-1 /2 years old and was rarely taken outside. The next period of isolation occurred when boys were 9 or 10 years old. They remained inside the home behind a wooden partition and rarely had contact with others, although they were able to leave the house after sundown. Food and bathing water were brought to them, and they urinated through a wooden tube pushed through the thatched wall of the dwelling. During this period, often lasting for 2 years, boys were taught to speak quietly, to refrain from play, and to avoid emotional displays. Girls had a similar period of isolation following their first menstruation. Other instances of isolation occurred on the death of a spouse or when men learned to become religious leaders. It
was possible, theoretically, for Mehinacu villager to spend up to 8 years of life in seclusion.