The preservation and ethical commercialization of Brazilian Indigenous Art By Juliana Abdanur

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CAPSTONE 1 THE PRESERVATION AND ETHICAL COMMERCIALIZATION OF BRAZILIAN INDIGENOUS ART

JULIANA CALDEIRA ABDANUR MIAMI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ART AND DESIGN MA IN DESIGN AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT DMMA 640 - CAPSTONE 1 PROF. MARIAM ELIAS DECEMBER 2021

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM/PURPOSE OF THE STUDY RESEARCH OBJECTIVES LITERATURE REVIEW SOCIOPOLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES INDIGENOUS TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND ARTS METHODOLOGY DESIGN OF RESEARCH DATA ANALYSIS

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INTRODUCTION

”WE DON’T JUST FIGHT FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS – WE FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO EXIST.” ETHNICITIES

- Sonia Guajajara, Indigenous Leader

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INDIGENOUS PEOPLES • Present before modern delimitation of countries

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ETHNICITIES

society

305

ETHNIC GROUPS

274

LANGUAGES

12.5%

• Separated from standard • Live in Protected Natural

OF LAND ARE INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES

BRAZIL

Areas (PNAs) and Amazon Rainforest

• Rely on natural environment for survival

• Suffer from violation of rights and government inaction

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BACKGROUND • Illegal land-seizure of indigenous territories – armed attacks • Illegal mining in the Amazon region Currently 54 mining processes in Kayapó territory alone • Indigenous knowledge and environmental practices improve biodiversity and ecosystems

INDIGENOUS ART

THE ENVIRONMENT IS THE SOURCE OF RAW MATERIALS

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KAYAPÓ

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GEOMETRIC BODY PAINTING PAINTING ON TEXTILES

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MEHINAKO WOODWORK - BENCHES

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WAURÁ POTTERY

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KARAJÁ LUDIC OBJECTS - RITXOKO DOLLS MADE

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Indigenous art has a spiritual meaning and function

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Handcrafts created for use in daily activities, hunting, and rituals

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Mehinako benches: sacred objects and a symbol of the power of creation, reserved for men

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Waurá have approximately 45 graphic motifs used in pottery created from observing surroundings

BACKGROUND

Waurá Motifs

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

To analyze how Brazilian indigenous groups are affected by current social, political and economic threats and what can be done to preserve their cultural knowledge and ethically commercialize their arts.

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PURPOSE OF THE STUDY •

Recognize indigenous peoples as major contributors to cultural heritage and the history of humanity.

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Social, political and economic threats place indigenous knowledge and artistic heritage at risk of extinction.

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To enable these communities to thrive and to pass down their knowledge through generations, there is a need to preserve and ethically promote their art.

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To examine how Brazilian indigenous communities are affected by current social, political and economic threats.

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To investigate the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge.

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To identify the challenges of ethical commercialization of indigenous traditional arts.

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To analyze the market for indigenous arts.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

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LITERATURE REVIEW Sociopolitical & Economic Issues.

• Lack of government policy enforcement.

• Current government pushing for development in Amazon rainforest.

• Indigenous acculturation.

• Economic interest over social responsibility .

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LITERATURE REVIEW Environmental Issues

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Exploitation of land and resources – decrease in number of tribes.

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Illegal mining and logging on indigenous territories.

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Indigenous peoples act as buffers of largescale carbon emissions.

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Cattle farming and exportation: economic development vs. conservation

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LITERATURE REVIEW GAPS

Indigenous Traditional Knowledge & Arts

• Knowledge that has a connection to sense of place, environment.

• Held by senior members of society.

• Ethics and cultural appropriation of IK – common knowledge, no IPR. • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) eco-social paradigm – common good, value creation for stakeholders.

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Lack of model to preserve indigenous arts.

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Lack of ethical commercialization model for indigenous arts in Brazil.

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LITERATURE REVIEW Indigenous Art Market

• Art Fair Model:

Aboriginal Art Fairs + interpersonal experiences = creates motivation to purchase art • Government funding programs providing incentive.

• Exportation of indigenous art • Commodification of indigenous art: ”unethical and exclusionary or progressive and inclusive” (Jones, 2016)

QUANTITATIVE

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20-question survey in English and Portuguese:

METHODOLOGY: MIXED METHODS Design of Research

1. Investigate the population’s knowledge on indigenous peoples and issues.

2. Analyze the importance of education on indigenous issues for promoting their arts.

3. Determine the interest and motivation to purchase Brazilian indigenous arts.

4. Determine which type of Brazilian indigenous art is most popular (market).

QUALITATIVE Interviews with five professionals to analyze: 1.

The motivation of indigenous peoples to market their art.

2. How Brazilian indigenous art is being marketed and the ethical issues behind promoting these arts.

3. How sociopolitical and economic issues affect indigenous communities in Brazil.

4. Provide data concerning the main sources of economic development for these communities.

5. Demographics: analyze the market for Brazilian indigenous art.

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DATA ANALYSIS Survey + Interviews

SURVEY • 54 respondents • Questions will be clustered according to themes for analysis.

• Charts will be used to indicate the most important findings.

• Data will be analyzed using the Motivation, Opportunity and Ability framework to determine how indigenous art can be marketed.

INTERVIEWS • Interviews will be coded and organized in a table format.

• Similarities and differences will be analyzed in all responses.

• A comparative analysis will be done to connect the literature review with interview results.

• Data will be analyzed using the MOA framework to determine motivation of indigenous communities to sell and market their art.