Traditional Indigenous Festival Becomes ‘Stage’ for Management Plan Launch

Indigenous dance to the sound of rattles and bamboo flutes - Photos: Webert da Cruz / IEB
Traditional Indigenous Festival Becomes ‘Stage’ for Management Plan Launch
Cultural celebration brought together efforts in territory management
Each year, this event celebrates significant moments for the community

August/September, 2024 (*) – Under the sounds of fireworks, Indigenous delegations from 11 villages of the Tenharim Marmelos Indigenous Land announce their arrival. Adorned with feathered headdresses, body paint, bows and arrows, and playing long bamboo flutes called Yreru’a, they offer contributions of game and fish to the festival's host, marking the start of the Mbotawa ritual.

The Mbotawa – an annual celebration on the Tenharim calendar – is held in a different village each year, bringing together a range of activities, rituals, and events that engage the community. These include traditional weddings and mourning ceremonies honoring the dead.

This year, the celebration featured a new event: the launch of the Territorial and Environmental Management Plan (PGTA) and the presentation of the Tenharim Marmelos Indigenous Land Consultation Protocol. With support from USAID, in partnership with the International Education Institute of Brazil (IEB) and the Lira initiative (funded by the Amazon Fund and Moore Foundation), the PGTA was developed through a participatory process, involving key stakeholders appointed by the Associação do Povo Indígena Tenharim Morõgitá.

“This year’s Mbotawa is historic because we launched the PGTA and the Consultation Protocol in one of the largest and oldest Tenharim villages. Everything we know comes from our elders, our grandparents, and parents who taught us leadership. Everything that happens at this festival has been passed down by our ancestors. So, it’s our duty to continue preserving what we’ve been taught,” said Chief Gilvan Tenharin of Kampinho-hü village, the host responsible for coordinating the hunting and fishing groups, nut gathering, and the crafting of natural adornments and dyes.

In the photo, Chief Gilvan is an indigenous man holding a spear and standing next to his son, a child dressed in jeans and without a shirt.

The PGTA is a document created by Indigenous communities to protect and sustainably manage their territories. It is the result of collaborative work between Indigenous leaders, environmental agents, and local associations. The plan outlines guidelines for environmental conservation, the preservation of cultural traditions, and sustainable community development. It serves as a tool for engaging in dialogue with governments and organizations to help secure territorial rights, access to healthcare and education, and the autonomy of Indigenous Peoples.

“We are the PGTA, this community here. We are the original people, and we follow our own laws. We have laws. Not new ones, but they’ve never been written down. They were never written, but they’ve always worked. That’s why this fight has been going on for a long time. I know my father’s spirit, and the spirits of the elders who fought so hard, were with us so that today we can have our young warriors, wise and intelligent,” said Margarida Tenharin.

The first three chapters of the Tenharim Marmelos PGTA focus on territorial and environmental management, while the final chapter addresses health, education, and securing territorial rights.

Access the full plan here and read more (both in Portuguese).