by: João Pedro Santos and Leonardo Mantovani
The lives of Indigenous people have not received the attention they deserve from people around the world, with what people see revolving solely on atrocities committed against them, complaints, and stereotypical visions. However, they are mostly our bases and even the start of our cultures. With recent governments, these Indigenous people have gained more laws protecting their territory and more autonomy.
In 1988, the Federal Constitution of the Indigenous People was publicized. It conceives them of their original village territory and the autonomy inside the cultural, social, and organizational places. Throughout time, the laws have been enhanced, and new privileges were given to them. The most recent law that was approved for the Indigenous people was law number 14.701, which was publicized in 2023. With the new laws, new enemies also appeared, and the government was under severe pressure from Congress and the agricultural sector. The Indigenous people also count on the STF — Brazilian Supreme Court — to gain some autonomy and liberty of speech. Even though most of them don’t appear so much to us from the cities, they occupy a big space inside forests and beside rivers, as we can see in the image.
Brazilian Indigenous Reserves, Nova Escola org, 2019
These areas are preserved for the villages, forests, and rivers close to them, which end up being very useful. In Campinas, there are no demarcated Indigenous villages. However, in Campinas, there are more than 1000 indigenous residents, which is the largest population in the region. In Monte-Mor, nearby Campinas, there are the villages of Santa Maluf and Santa Sofia. Overall, more than 3000 Indigenous people are living in the region of Campinas and 31 other nearby cities, according to G1 Campinas.
Picture of Vincent Carelli – from Outras Palavras
Vincent Carelli is a Brazilian who advocates for the rights of indigenous people. He is the son of a French mom and a Brazilian dad. He became a reporter, video editor, and writer for the “Jornal Movimento”. When he was 16, he went to Xikrin village in Pará. There, he noticed how much diversity there was in the world and that he should share this culture with the rest of the people. In 1973, in his 20s, he started dedicating his life to Indigenous villages and people after noticing that these people lived in the worst conditions and didn’t have any voice outside of the villages. In his 20s, he spent most of his time understanding and helping indigenous villages such as the Kikrin population. Vincent saw that indigenous people were being mistreated after seeing such prejudice. In 1987, Vincent started his most productive campaign, “Video nas Aldeias”.
“Video nas Aldeias” is a project where Vincent recruited an indigenous crew and started to teach them how to film. So they could show their daily lives and culture from a native perspective. They tell stories and publish videos of their traditions and even films, where they act, telling the story of some tradition. The project is one of the most well-known and took place in some villages in Brazil. The YouTube channel containing the videos currently has 15.4k followers and 48 videos. Some other videos from this project are also circulating on the internet that are not in the channel. Some videos created such credibility for the Indigenous population and are, until today, commented on. This happened especially in the mini-film called “Hipermulheres/Hiperwomen”. The film was published in 2011 and lasts for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
The documentary was directed by Fausto Carlos, Leonardo Sette, and Takuma Kuikuro and shows the preparation for a ritual made by the Kuikuro tribe’s women as a last wish of one of the tribe’s elders. To their dismay, the eldest woman and the one responsible for teaching others the songs and preparation of the ritual is currently ill, challenging their job. However, throughout the documentary, we are shown the daily life of the Kuikuro tribe in preparation for the ritual, how they organize the village, gather materials, prepare choreographies, and more.
Kuikoru man gathering trunks and arranging them for the ritual
After the beginning of the preparation for the ritual, the documentary depicts the daily life of the Kuikuro tribe, showing members of the tribe gathering materials such as dead tree trunks to prepare the location of the ritual, which they arrange by simply using their hands and strength, with no external help such as modern machines. It also highlights the importance of the eldest woman, emphasizing how other members are worried about her health and rush to find a cure for her.
Representation of the stage, where men and kids stay and watch the women performing
After preparing the stage in which the remaining of the tribe will stay and appreciate the ritual, we are shown the practice made by the women of the Kuikoro for the choreography that will be performed later in the ritual, practicing in groups and learning the chants. In this part of the documentary, the directors highlight the relationship that people within the Kuikuro tribe have with each other, where everyone works together for the good of the tribe. Additionally, the documentary depicts the sense of community and joint effort among the Kuikoro people, where each member plays a vital role in making sure of the success of the ritual. The women dedicate themselves to learning the choreographies and chants while other members continue gathering materials in preparation for the space where the ritual will take place. As the ritual approaches, the tribe’s resilience and commitment to preserving their traditions become increasingly evident, bypassing any difficulties such as health issues surrounding the eldest women.
Practice of the choreography for the ritual
Playful moment between tribe members
During the last minutes of the documentary, we are able to see the results of the tribe’s combined efforts as the ritual begins. The women perform the ritual with precision and excellence as rehearsed, honoring the wish of the elders and reinforcing the village cultural traditions. The event is not only a tribute to the elders’ wishes but also a demonstration of the Kuikoro’s strength and unity.
Overall, the documentary serves as a powerful proof of the Kuikuro tribe’s deep connection to their traditions and natural way of life. Through detailed depictions of their daily activities and challenges, it highlights the importance of cultural preservation and the resilience of Indigenous communities in maintaining their heritage in the face of adversity.
Differences in culture on and daily basis
The documentary illustrates their days as very manual and full. They get up early and start their tasks, such as fishing or taking their baths in the river. The Kuikuro village has various aspects that require certain knowledge to be understood fully, such as their routine and rituals that are portrayed in the little film. The women in the village are often the ones who help inside homes and plant food and crops. The men, on the other hand, are the ones who fish and are in charge of preparing the food for the people in the village. The difference in jobs is highlighted by the rituals also; while women are the ones in charge, men fish lots of food so they can do the ritual. The women in the village are the ones who sing, paint, and dance. Usually, one woman is in charge of singing, and the rest synthesize with her.
Manual jobs are not very common in the cities, people often don’t decide what they will eat, they just buy something. The differences between the city and the village are highlighted in the film. The houses in the village are mostly made of clay, wood, and straw. While the houses in cities are made of bricks, the Indigenous people dress with common pieces of animal skin, only in their genital parts. The difference between normal things emphasizes how our lifestyles are majorly different. These differences are most of the time used to judge them, however, they carry important cultural and religious symbols that are very important for city people also. The energy and culture from these villages are rich and should be seen as very important by people.
Indigenous people are the roots and basis of our cultures and cities. Putting them to the side won’t show them the importance they have to us. Vincent Carelli and multiple other important figures fought in this war to make the villages and these people acquire their rights. Now more than ever, we need to help them, the forests are each day getting more deforested, and their areas are being invaded and this needs to end. The government tries to help them but most people still do not understand their importance. Finally, the Indigenous people still need to gain more space inside the modern world that we live in, more autonomy, and more liberty to express themselves to the cities and show what they are.
EAC PRESS 