The case of the stolen fetish Arumbaya

Tintin gets up one morning and learning that a fetish valuable was stolen from the ethnographic museum. This is a statuette Arumbaya, the name of a tribe in South America living on the banks of Baduyaral River in the Republic of San Theodoros. But the next day, the museum guard finds that the fetish was put in his place and immediately inform the curator. Tintin and Milou his inseparable mostly go to the scene but unfortunately only to find that the rendering object is not good. Indeed, the fetish Arumbaya is characterized by a distinctive mark: one ear is broken. But this one has two ears intact.

Returning home, Tintin has settled into his living room to give a few minutes of pause and reflection and decided to peruse the local newspaper. He learns that a certain Mr. Balthazar, his painter-sculptor by trade, specialist and statuettes of wood, was found dead on the same day at his home located 21 rue de Londres.

Half an hour later, Tintin goes to the victim by alleging the building superintendent he just wants "take a look". On site, Tintin falls clues that lead him to conclude that Mr. Balthazar was killed in the night: "So we killed Mr. Balthazar. And was killed because he was probably executed for someone replica of fetish Arumbaya. We did not want him talkative ... "

Moreover, this new installment of the adventures of Tintin and Snowy is the player at the heart of a rich survey of surprises that will lead the young reporter to South America, in the heart of the Amazon jungle. Hergé deals with black humor about the civil war by the Republic of San Theodoros part of a coup whereby Tintin will escape the firing squad, becoming the confidant of General Alcazar, new president to power that ended the reign of General Tapioca, then being promoted to colonel. Finally, the author frequently borrows from the field of anthropology, especially at the meeting of its young hero with two Native American tribes, and those of Bibaros Arumbayas. The character of Ridgewell, explorer, which he met in the jungle, is emblematic in this respect since it is perfectly adapted to the customs and the indigenous culture, so much so that he chose live like a Arumbaya for the rest of his days after members of the tribe have accepted it as one of their "... I decided to never return to the civilized world. I am happy here among the Arumbayas whom I share life ... "