“Dança dos saberes”: retomada indígena a partir das produções estético-literárias de autoras indígenas

Abstract

This paper aims to highlight the processes of indigenous revival based on the aesthetic and literary productions of indigenous authors, in order to identify the main elements, markers, and events that comprise them; to understand which stories, dialogues, and experiences are triggered, enhanced, and energized; and to reflect on how these productions express, drive, and mobilize such processes. My central argument is that the aesthetic and literary works of indigenous authors operate as a territory capable of enabling an understanding of the indigenous revival today. Inspired by indigenous dances, such as Toré, and the vibrant sound of the maraca, I propose the creation of a “Dance of Knowledge,” which constitutes the epistemological, methodological, ethical, and political dimension of this thesis. This perspective calls for a mode of knowledge production in dialogue with indigenous peoples. By invoking dance, I seek to break with the linearity and rigidity that mark academic writing, creating possibilities for an implicated writing, rooted in ancestry, in (re)existence, and in the multiple voices that traverse this work. To research, here, is to dance with ancestral knowledge, allowing its songs to traverse the body, the sound of the maraca to lull the listener, and circularities to guide the steps of resumption. From this perspective, the aesthetic and literary works of indigenous authors, such as “Metade Cara, Metade Máscara” (Half Face, Half Mask) (2018), by Eliane Potiguara; “Guerreiras – mulheres indígenas na cidade, mulheres indígenas da aldeia” (Warriors – Indigenous Women in the City, Indigenous Women in the Village) (2020), by Aline Rochedo Pachamama; “Eu sou macuxi e outras histórias” (I am Macuxi and other stories) (2019), by Trudruá Dorrico; Ay Kakyri Tama – Eu Moro Na Cidade (Ay Kakyri Tama – I Live in the City) (2020) and O lugar do saber ancestral (The Place of Ancestral Knowledge) (2021), by Márcia Wayna Kambeba, mark the rhythms and beats that intertwined the voices, listening, and movements of this dance. This intertwining resulted in the creation of a course entitled “Contemporary Brazilian Indigenous Literature: History, Dialogues, and Experiences,” conceived as a space for reflection, articulation, and experimentation around the processes investigated. Held in partnership with UFC and UFDPar as a university extension program, the course took place from July 9 to August 27, 2021, totaling eight meetings via Google Meet. Undergraduate and graduate students in psychology and related fields, members of the indigenous movement, and education professionals from various Brazilian states participated. From this, four movements stand out: a) reconnection with family history; b) immersion in ancestral memories; c) exaltation of the land, spiritualities, and indigenous ways of life; d) invocation of ancestral strength. This implies understanding that the processes of indigenous revival are neither linear nor one-dimensional, but flow in movements that are renewed and strengthened with each new element, marker, and experience. Thus, this thesis aims to offer an analytical key to understanding the processes of indigenous resurgence underway in Brazil, as well as to propose a research experience that moves like a dance, intertwining literature, ancestry, and cosmologies, and, at the same time, contribute to research policy by strengthening ethical, collaborative, and decolonizing practices, guiding psychologists and researchers to work with individuals and collectives in recovery, respecting their diverse contexts, realities, and experiences.