From ‘our pot’ to ‘my pot’: reflections on ownership and long-term fieldwork with the Suyá/ Ksêdjê 1971-2019

Abstract

This paper addresses issues of anthropological and ethnomusicological field research and changes in Suya/Ksedje concepts of ownership over a half century. It begins with a pot and moves to a discussion of a few of the issues involved in selecting a research topic and field site. It continues with a discussion of the author’s fieldwork experiences with the Suya/Ksedje Indigenous group in Brazil that the author has been visiting for almost 50 years. The paper discusses some of the advantages, disadvantages, and determinants of such long-term field research. Some things have changed a lot over 50 years and others have not changed as much. An important area of change among the Suya/Ksedje has been in the concept of “ownership and control.” Ksedje ideas have been transformed, especially during the past 20 years, by their increased contact with the market economy and their experience licensing body paint designs to a sandal company. The advantages of long-term field research, of encouraging a younger scholar to continue work with the Ksedje, and the opportunities to learn from changing concepts of ownership and fieldwork are evidenced throughout the paper and summarized in the short concluding section.