Histórias de Manoki: um relato da vida e do cotidiano de um povo durante o século XX

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2007

RESUMO

The present study aims to reflect on the trajectory of contact the Manoki people followed in the course of the 20th century. This indigenous society of isolate language lives in western part of Mato Grosso state (Brazil), on two Indigenous Territories located in the municipal district of Brasnorte. Historical accounts of the event indicate that their first contacts with the members of the national expansion front reaching the state of Mato Grosso territory in the beginning of the 20th century occurred in a violent way. On that occasion, they became known to the Brazilian society by the name of Irantxe or Iranche, denomination which has never represented any meaning to them. Such a denomination was probably assigned to them by the Pareci people and adopted by the Brazilian military expedition called Comissão Rodon (Rondon Commission the Strategic Telegraph Lines Commission of Mato Grosso to Amazonas) whenever referring to them in the everyday situations. Afterwards, already in the beginning of the second half of the last century, they found themselves forced to live under the Jesuits wardship as the only way to warrant their existence, the reason why for decades they have been recognised as the Indians of the Church. In the 70s, an isolated group of Manoki people were contacted by the Jesuit Mission near the stream called Escondido (which means hidden in English). Although the perspectives of the contact relations have been established in different ways, the isolated group was also strongly labelled as a product of the missionary action. However, since the year 2000, they have adopted as their auto-denomination the term Manoki which refers to all those who share their traditional rituals. For decades they have been identified as a good example of an indigenous group fully assimilated into the Brazilian society. Nevertheless, as we investigate their trajectory of contact by means of the analysis of historical records and personal accounts collected in fieldwork, we can notice that the history of contact of this people shows elements indicating a strong connection between their mythical and sacred universe and the way they have conducted their relationships with members of the Brazilian society over the course of their history. In fact, the historical dynamics followed by the Manoki society is simultaneously marked by forces of transformation and continuity that move this people endowed with cultural and identity specificity

ASSUNTO(S)

povo manoki indios irantxe ciencias sociais aplicadas manoki people

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