O povo Tembé da terra indígena Alto Rio Guamá: construindo vias de desenvolvimento local?

Abstract

The demarcation of Indian land is undoubtedly a necessary condition for the protection of their social diversity. Nevertheless, if the demarcation is not followed by initiatives capable to provide environmental and territorial management, improvement of health and education, and guarantee food and income security, the Indian populations hardly will be able to resist, on the long term, attempts of external agents to appropriate of Indian's natural resources, usually illegally and inexpensively. This Master Thesis presents the historical trajectory of the Tembé People, the factors causing the social and environmental degradation of the Alto Rio Guamá Indigenous Land, and the necessity to present clear directions for a project of local development for this Indian people. The analytical method was base on case studies, with direct personal contact on the field and collecting institutional documents about the social and environmental condition of the Tembé people. The analysis is also based on a set of discussions with the main actors at the region about the changes in the lifestyle of the Tembé people. This work also consider the development stage of the Tembé people in the context of the occidental society around it, and the consequences of the contact of these two cultures, as the Indian population has a very special organizational set up, with its own policies, economy, religion, culture, very different relation with Nature, and diverse means to use natural resources, leading to a very different understanding of Development. Finally we close by presenting clear directions for a possible local development project. A project necessary if one wants the També people to regain their autonomy as a Nation.