Os Chiquitano de Mato Grosso: estudo das classificações sociais em um grupo indígena da fronteira Brasil-Bolívia

Abstract

BORTOLETTO SILVA, R. The Chiquitano of Mato Grosso: a study of the social classifications in an indigenous group from the Brazil-Bolivia border region. 2007. 226 f. Thesis (Doctoral) Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciencias Humanas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, 2007. This study presents a reflection based on bibliographic and ethnographic research into the forms of sociality of the Chiquitano, an indigenous group of the Chiquitano linguistic family that inhabits the border region of the Brazilian state Mato Grosso with Bolivia. Despite having a substantial population in Brazilian territory, of around 2,000 individuals, only recently were these Indians recognised by the official agency for indigenous peoples following an investigation performed on their land. Based on bibliographic research of documental sources of various origins about the long history of contact with the group, dating back to the 16 century, an analysis is carried out to enable the mapping of certain characteristics of the contacts between the Chiquitano and the neighbouring populations. At the same time the study attempts to determine a set of denominations attributed to the group throughout these years. Based on ethnographic field research a description is made of the constitution of the local groups named Fazendinha, Vila Nova and Santa Luiza, especially as regards relations of kinship, marriage and companionship, focused on the form of inserting outsiders into the group. Similarly, the shamanism and the school are studied in order to draw conclusions about the spaces of access to the other, integrating sociological and cosmological aspects of a group which remains largely unknown by Brazilian Ethnology.