Povos indígenas e ditadura militar no Maranhão: relatos de experiências Canela Memortumré sobre a atuação da FUNAI e SPI

Abstract

Tackling indigenous issues in Brazil dates back to the First Republic, being regulated by constitutional provisions. However, there is a significant gap in legal support for these issues. State responsibility over indigenous "nations", although formally recognized, lacks clarity both in practice and in current legislation, resulting in an indigenous statute that is outdated and permeated by contradictions. The so-called "Brazilian miracle", a period of rapid economic development and expansion of developmental fronts, intensified the militarization of indigenous issues, especially in territories such as the Amazon. In Maranhão, the 1963 messianic movement among the Canela Memortumré indigenous people, influenced by disillusionment with the SPI, highlights a complex history of relationships between tutelary agencies, indigenous people and sertanistas. The arrival of developmental projects, such as the Grande Carajás Program, sheds light on the experiences of these indigenous people, offering important information about the actions of the SPI and FUNAI during the Military Dictatorship in Maranhão. Oral History, by incorporating these voices and perspectives, enriches the understanding of the impacts of these events on indigenous villages and indigenous policies of the period.