The Iny͂ People of Central Brazil

The Iny͂ (also known as Karajá) are an indigenous tribe who live on a large river island named Ilha do Bananal, in Tocantins, Brazil. Despite modern pressures, this small group of 3,500 people have managed to preserve their unique heritage and way of life. 

In 2022, about 100 ceramic figures called ritxòkò were exhibited at Te Manawa Museum. A series of photographs and a short documentary about the female artists who make the figures accompanied the works and offered New Zealanders an insight into their culture. 

The tradition of making ritxòkò has been handed down through many generations. The figures represent daily activities, wildlife, important rituals, and characters from Iny͂ cosmology.

In 2012, the Brazilian Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage listed the practise as part of Brazil’s national cultural heritage. Ritxòkò are now a significant source of income and prestige for the artists.

The exhibition came about as a result of a research collaboration into indigenous languages between the Portuguese language programme at Massey University and the Department of Linguistics at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. It was the culmination of four years of exchange between Massey University, Te Manawa Museum, the Museu do Índio in Rio de Janeiro and the Iny͂ community.

The Museu do Índio is part of Brazil's national indigenous peoples foundation, FUNAI. The institution aims to preserve indigenous cultural heritage, and promote knowledge of the diversity among hundreds of Brazilian indigenous groups.

During this collaboration nearly a dozen Massey staff travelled to Brazil including professors Kerry Taylor and Leonel Alvarado. Chang Whan a curator from the Museu do Índio, collaborated with the Iny͂ community and acquired the ceramics through an agreement with the artists.

The Iny͂ People of Central Brazil was visited by 4,500 people who were able to purchase the ritxòkò on display.

Published 04 June 2024

Dates

4 June to 9 October 2022

Venues

Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science & Heritage

Media links

gov.br. Arte e Cultura Karajá em Exposição na Nova Zelândia.

gov.br Arte e cultura Karajá - Confira a entrevista com a curadora Chang Whan

Judith Lacey. 04 June 2022. The Iny͂ People of Central Brazil Exhibition Opens at Te Manawa in Palmerston North. Manawatu Guardian.

Massey News. 25 May 2022. International Research Collaboration Leads to Indigenous Art Exhibition.

Shilpy Arora. 26 June 2022. Unique Brazilian Dolls on Display at Te Manawa. Stuff.

Further reading

Bortolotto, Maria & Berardi-Wiltshire, Arianna. 2020. Te Hā o Te Reo: Teaching the Beauty of the Māori Language. Cadernos de Linguística.

Manuel Ferreira Lima Filho. 02 April 2018. Karajá. Enciclopédia Povos Indígenas no Brasil.

Languages of delivery

English

Visit the project site

Te Manawa Museum website