The Kaingang perspectives on land and environmental rights in the south of Brazil

Abstract

This article discusses aspects of culture-nature relations among indigenous groups in Southern Brazil. Based on the ethnography of Kaingang groups in the state of Santa Catarina, conceptions of culture and nature are considered taking into account the relationship between politics and cosmology. More specifically, this article focuses on the analysis of two different kinds of ethnographic sources, namely: the historical processes of recovery of indigenous lands; and, the references to nature expressed in mythological narratives and ritual processes. Indeed, in the recent history of the Kaingang, the struggle for "indigenous tradition" has triggered scenes and scenarios from the past. These scenarios not only involve inter-ethnic resistance, but also specific notions of nature, culture and environmental recovery. In summary, this article argues that the link between political and cosmological conceptions forms the very basis of the indigenous perspective concerning their territorial and environmental rights.

Cold spot microrefugia hold the key to survival for Brazil's Critically Endangered Araucaria tree

“…Its iconic candelabra shape defines southern Brazil's Mixed Ombrophilous Forests (MOF; Oliveira‐Filho, Budke, Jarenkow, Eisenlohr, & Neves, ), a unique formation of the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot (Duarte, Bergamin, Marcilio‐Silva, Seger, & Marques, ; Myers, Mittermeier, Mittermeier, da Fonseca, & Kent, ; Oliveira‐Filho & Fontes, ). Araucaria has also been a cultural keystone (Cristancho & Vining, ; Garibaldi & Turner, ) for millennia: it ‘could be considered the ritual object par excellence’ for the indigenous southern Jê people (Fernandes & Piovezana, ), and it is the most frequently used plant species among Santa Catarina state's rural population (Justen, Müller, & Toresan, ). Presently, Araucaria's chief economic value comes from its seeds (pinhão), which were a critical component in the southern Jê's diets before European arrival (Corteletti, Dickau, DeBlasis, & Iriarte, ; Loponte, Carbonera, Corriale, & Acosta, ) and remain a popular food source in Brazil today (Adan, Atchison, Reis, & Peroni, ; Souza, Uarte de Matos, Forgiarini, & Martinez, ; Zechini et al, )—9,293 tonnes, worth more than US$5.5 million, were harvested in 2017 (IBGE, ).…”

Climate change threatens native potential agroforestry plant species in Brazil

“…All species analyzed here have a great potential to be conserved through a conservation-by-use approach, because of their different uses that do not necessarily jeopardize reproduction and persistence. They play an important role among local communities 41 , 48 , 50 , 75 , 76 and farmers’ livelihoods 31 , 42 . Searching for evidence of conservation among species with economic and cultural values, Reis et al 42 noticed that the species Ilex paraguariensis , A. angustifolia and B. antiacantha were intentionally favored through protection, transplantation and selection by farmers.…”

Indigenous People and The Sustainable Development Goals in Brazil: A Study of the Kaingang People

“…” These two challenges are intimately linked. Indigenous identity and spiritual well-being are inextricably bound to their physical space, custodianship of the natural environment and sympathetic, sustainable utilization of the land for their material needs (Fernandes & Piovezana, 2015). The nexus of identity, land and culture is embedded in the Kaingang’s cosmology.…”

“…The Fundação Nacional do Índio (National Indian Foundation, FUNAI) granted the Kaingang in Chapecó (the Kondá band) land outside of the city (Fernandes & Piovezana, 2015). The land, whilst granted for their physical and cultural subsistence, remains the property of the Brazilian State, not the Kaingang, leaving their situation precarious and contingent (Platts, 2006).…”