Pinturas corporais Guarani Mbya e seus significados: uma reflexão a partir dos saberes ancestrais nas Tekoa Palmeirinha e Rio D’Areia, Paraná

Abstract

This research sought to understand what are Guarani Mbya body paintings, their meanings and their influence on the preservation of culture in the villages of Palmeirinha, located in the Mangueirinha Indigenous Land, and in the Rio D'Areia village, in the Rio D'Areia Indigenous Land, both located in the state of Parana. It is known that body painting is very important for the Guarani Mbya culture, but its use has been declining due to a lack of interest among younger people and communities, in addition to the loss of knowledge among older people, who are disappearing as time passes of time. The research was developed by a Guarani Mbya researcher and, in this sense, has an ethical and political dimension that aimed to investigate the meanings and experiences of the Guarani Mbya in relation to body painting, giving visibility and recognition to the knowledge of their elders. The research had a qualitative approach, with participant observation and semi-structured interviews, in addition to a literature review on the subject. Starting from the hypothesis that knowledge about body paintings is fundamental for the preservation of the Guarani Mbya culture, the research observed the different ways in which the paintings were used, their meanings and the materials used, in addition to seeking to understand their insertion in the observed communities and the reasons why many Guarani Mbya, especially the younger ones, no longer use them or do not know about their meanings and importance. Regarding the results, it is understood that the research produced an important record regarding the perceptions and knowledge about body painting among the Guarani Mbya from the villages of Palmeirinha and Rio D'Areia, contributing to the reflection of indigenous peoples on the transformations in their ways of life and cultural practices and revealing the importance of the relationship between ancestry and knowledge for the Guarani Mbya. Furthermore, the research contributes to the field of Brazilian indigenous ethnology studies, bringing the perspective and reflection of an indigenous researcher in relation to theoretical issues central to the field, such as indigenous art and cosmology.