Eliane Potiguara: "I believe in the changing power of education"
Considered the first indigenous woman to publish a book in Brazil, writer Eliane Potiguara has earned the respect and admiration of scholars and readers of her works. In 2014, the author of A Terra É a Mãe do Índio (The Earth Is the Mother of the Indigenous - 1989) and Metade Cara, Metade Máscara (Half Face, Half Mask - 2004), among other titles, was bestowed with the Order of Cultural Merit by the Ministry of Culture. In 2021, she was conferred an honorary doctorate by the University Council of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).
Recognition as a writer, educator and political activist is no small feat. Especially for someone like her, who was only literate at the age of seven. At the time, she took on the task of writing the letters that, from Rio de Janeiro, her grandmother wanted to send to her relatives who, in the first half of the last century, moved away to escape land conflicts and other forms of violence against indigenous peoples.
At the age of 73, the founder of the Grumim Indigenous Communication Network—created in 1987 and inspired by the saga of indigenous families who, after experiencing violence, had to make a pilgrimage in search of physical, moral and ethnic survival—recalls the importance of this process.
An advocate for high-quality public education that embraces Brazil's rich ethnic and cultural diversity, rooted in the indigenous resistance and self-affirmation movement, Eliane Potiguara is optimistic, but not naive. "Indigenous culture is wonderful and alive. We will continue to focus on this incredible fidelity to our ancestry, while keeping in line with new technologies," she stated.
Continue reading for excerpts from Eliane Potiguara's interview, featured in a series featuring indigenous intellectuals, leaders, and activists that Agência Brasil is releasing this week in honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day, on Friday (Apr. 19).
Agência Brasil: The booklet "A Terra É a Mãe do Índio," authored by you, stands as the inaugural literary work published in Brazil by an indigenous woman in 1989. Since then, numerous indigenous authors have surfaced, some achieving considerable commercial success. What factors have spurred the rise of these indigenous authors in recent decades?
Eliane Potiguara: Firstly, [the need to free] the stifled voice of the indigenous population. By transforming indigenous thoughts in books, we find a channel for resistance and struggle. A channel through which we can publicize the situations we live in. With the advance of technology and the internet, we have found new means [of expression] and paths. Many indigenous leaders, teachers, and thinkers who have something to say to society in general have used these channels.
Agência Brasil: How can this work to promote the general population's access to indigenous narratives, transmitted by the indigenous themselves, contribute to the future of indigenous peoples and society in general?
Eliane Potiguara: It contributes as an element of political awareness for society in general. Awareness of who we are, where we are going and what we want as Brazilians and as indigenous peoples. For example, bringing material written by indigenous people into schools is a transformative, inspiring initiative. It touches the cultural universe and the unconscious of part of the population, because it is material that can both raise awareness among non-indigenous teachers and be worked on with indigenous and non-indigenous students. Until recently, the didactic and literary material used in schools generally conformed to the reality of the colonizer. Today, despite all the problems, we have a law that makes the study of indigenous and Afro-Brazilian history and cultures compulsory and an education that, in some way, includes indigenous peoples. There are many indigenous teachers and managers, which is also a very relevant fact. In addition, indigenous narratives also help to reveal how we indigenous people, with our traditional knowledge, can contribute to, for example, preserving what non-indigenous people call the environment and we call nature.
Agência Brasil: It's truly remarkable how your journey, starting with late literacy, led you to become both an educator and a prolific author. Could you share how formal education and reading influenced your path personally? Additionally, how do you perceive the significance of education for the future well-being of indigenous communities?
Eliane Potiguara: I became literate a little late, between the ages of 7 and 8, to assist my grandmother in writing letters, particularly to Paraíba, from where our family had to flee due to death threats. I was born in Rio de Janeiro and grew up in Morro da Providência, locked in a kind of ghetto, protected from the surrounding violence. My grandmother didn't even want me to look at people, she tried to limit our contacts. In those early years, I had a kind of psychological blind spot that kept me alienated from reality. Through writing letters, reading the replies we received and the stories my grandmother told, I began to understand this kind of family exile. I learned that part of the family had fled to avoid being murdered, like so many other indigenous people, but it took a little longer to understand myself as an indigenous person in a racist, discriminatory society. That's why we continue to fight for quality indigenous education, for the preservation of indigenous languages and traditions.
Agência Brasil: In the poem "Identidade Indígena" (Indigenous Identity), written in 1975, you emphasize the significance of ancestry and express a belief in the future prominence of indigenous peoples, asserting they will "shine on the stage of history." Do you still hold onto this expectation?
Eliane Potiguara: "Yes, I'm the product of our colonization process, marked by violence and the struggles of migrant families. However, I'm also someone who believes in change and political awareness. I believe we can raise awareness among the general population, which is already beginning to awaken to these issues. On one hand, today we see numerous indigenous professionals—doctors, anthropologists, teachers, lawyers—alongside those holding positions of power. On the other hand, there's a significant segment of the population concerned with pressing issues like environmental conservation and global warming. Thus, we can already perceive this shift, which has the potential to grow even further. As an educator, I place my trust in positive changes, in the changing power of education that aligns more closely with reality."
Agência Brasil: The count of individuals identifying as indigenous has surged from 294,000 in 1991 to nearly 1.7 million in 2022. Despite this growth, land disputes persist, accompanied by ongoing challenges in indigenous health, education, and humanitarian crises. In light of these circumstances, how do you envision the future unfolding for indigenous peoples?
Eliane Potiguara: "We are amidst a conflict, a class struggle, where an oppressive and selfish system permits one individual to exploit another solely to amass financial wealth. I believe in evolution and positive transformations. Consider the Navajos [of North America], for instance, who adeptly integrate modern technologies while steadfastly preserving their indigenous identity, culture, language, and spirituality. We are able to reconcile these aspects, which are not antagonistic. Similar examples can be found in Mexico and Finland. Certainly, we must uphold respect for the ethnic and cultural diversity and self-determination of communities, particularly those who choose to maintain their traditional ways of life in isolation. Their customs and traditions are integral and warrant preservation. Brazil's roots are indigenous, and it's vital for Brazilians to embrace and acknowledge their ancestral heritage."
