Notas sobre os saberes do povo Tentehar: “tudo para nós é espaço sagrado”

Abstract

this paper discusses indigenous spirituality from the observation of the Tentehar people, better known as the Guajajara, and keeps a dialogue with other relevant interpreters of the original peoples’ cosmovision. The central issue is to inquire about the existence of a multifaceted perspective of spirituality intertwined with contexts of historical and everyday struggles. For this, testimonies available on websites and in specialized literature are used, as well as historical and empirical research on the Tentehar from Maranhão state. The female initiation ritual is observed and it is understood that in the past the preservation of this ritual was related to the conflict in Alto Alegre city. It is concluded that indigenous spirituality is intertwined with the existential, cultural, social and political dimensions of the original peoples.