Memórias do Movimento dos Indígenas não Aldeados do Triângulo Mineiro e Alto Paranaíba (MInA): populações indígenas ressurgentes de Uberlândia e região

Abstract

The theme of this work is the history of the Movement of Non-Villaged Indigenous Peoples of the Triângulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaíba (MInA), and its aim is to highlight the trajectory of resistance of the female chiefs Kaun Poty Guarany and Kawany Tupinambá, as well as other leaders who shaped the Indigenous struggle in the urban context of the city of Uberlândia and its surrounding region. Since my involvement with the community in 2019, I have sought to collect and describe the memories of struggles of a collective marked by marginalization, but which, for 19 years—since its creation in 2006—has resisted. The methodology employed was qualitative, with emphasis on oral history, the gathering of historical documents, and the analysis of academic works addressing the Indigenous presence in the region. The research focuses on the historical invisibilization of Indigenous peoples in urban contexts, often considered by many as “mixed” and, therefore, frequently delegitimized in their ethnic identity; as well as the challenges, goals, and achievements of MInA, in addition to the memories of some community members who were essential figures in its construction. Throughout the work, I highlight the importance of memory, self-recognition, and spirituality in the collective reconstruction of Indigenous roots within cities. Therefore, this is an attempt to honor the stories that have been forged and to strengthen the continuity of a struggle that did not begin with me, but one that I am building together with my relatives.