Turismo na Apa Alter-do-Chão: uma análise sob a perspectiva da Comunidade Indígena Borari (PA)

Abstract

The Alter-do-Chão village, located in the Alter-do-Chão Environmental Protection Area, in Santarém, Pará, is one of the most sought-after destinations in the state, due to its unique natural and cultural attractions, with emphasis on the region's indigenous peoples and riverside communities. This article, in dialogue with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8, 10 and 11 of the UN 2030 Agenda, discusses paths for a balanced management for the Alter-do-Chão village, which values the traditional way of life of the Borari indigenous community, and which uses tourism as a tool for transformation, with the general objective of identifying the socio-environmental impacts generated by tourism in the Alter-do-Chão village and characterizing the Borari people and their involvement with tourism in the village. To this end, we specifically seek to map the negative and positive socio-environmental impacts of tourism in Alter-do-Chão, and to understand the perception of the Borari indigenous community in relation to the tourism activity existing in the region. The investigation, based on field research, ethnography and interviews, showed that indigenous people feel excluded from their own territory, that they do not actively participate in tourism in the region and that they perform various functions, but are unable to undertake or collaborate effectively with the management of the protected area, so that they can improve their quality of life in the Conservation Unit. However, they understand that ethnotourism would be a way of presenting their culture to visitors with benefits for both the visitors and the indigenous people.