Identidade cultural dos Sateré-Mawé – o ritual de iniciação tucandeira

Abstract

The research to which this text refers investigated aspects of the cultural initiation ritual known as the Tucandeira Ritual of the Sateré-Mawé. From this perspective, it addressed its importance in the formation of the cultural identity of this ethnic group. The methodology adopted combined bibliographical research with the review of anthropological and ethnographic studies on the Sateré-Mawé people and their rituals, followed by field research, with participatory observations during the ritual nad interviews with members of the community under observation. The general objective was to analyze the ritual not only in its ceremonial aspects, but also in relation to its symbolic and social meanings in the construction of the collective and individual identity of the native youth. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews with community leaders, elders and young people, as well as direct observations of the ritual. As a basis for qualitative analysis, we brought some ethnographic concepts such as "initiation ritual", "cultural identity" and "symbols and meanings", with theoretical support from authors such as Stuart Hall: Cultural Identity in Postmodernity (1992), Victor Turner: The Ritual Process or Rites of Passage (1969) and Clifford Geertz: The Interpretation of Cultures (1973). In this work, we address how the ritual serves to strengthen community ties and acts as a form of cultural resistance, giving voice to natives of the Amazon. With this work, we intend to give greater visibility to cultural diversity and support the Sateré-Mawé's struggle for the visibility of their culture, which, to a large extent, has always been known from the perspective of scholars outside the community.