Da “mentalidade de caçadores” às “mudanças de filosofia de vida”: as distintas trajetórias do gado entre os Maxakali e os Krenak no leste de Minas Gerais

Abstract

This article discusses the different paths followed by the introduction of livestock in two indigenous groups in the Eastern state of Minas Gerais, the Maxakali (Tikmũ'ũn) and the Krenak (Borum). Apparently, the peoples of the different Jê-languages in this region had the first contacts with the large domesticated mammals introduced by non-indigenous people in the 18th century. But it was throughout the first half of the 20th century that their villages became constant targets of systematic animal breeding projects designed by the Indian Protection Service (SPI), for whom livestock was a privileged mechanism for generating incomeand civilization of native peoples. Although both peoples experienced similar actions by the official indigenist policy throughout history, cattle assumed different positions in the social and symbolic universe of these two groups. However, a more detailed examination suggests that, as it happened among other indigenous peoples in Brazil, livestock never fully installed itself among the Maxakali and Krenak, bringing, after all, more problems than solutions to issues such as food security and sovereignty and territorial protection.

Keywords

• ethnology
• maxakali
• krenak
• cattle
• cattle ranching