Povos indígenas na revista O Malho (1902-1953): considerações sobre o simbolismo nacional, o exotismo e a educação para a civilização

Abstract

This research analyzes the representations of indigenous peoples in the illustrated magazine O Malho throughout its entire circulation period (1902-1953). Situated within the fields of History of Education and Cultural History, the study investigates how the periodical, through a vast verbo-visual collection (cartoons, caricatures, photographs, and chronicles), acted as an informal pedagogical device in shaping the social imaginary and in the "education of the gaze" of its readers regarding indigenous populations. Regarding the methodological path, a survey and documentary analysis of the magazine's different editorial phases were carried out, categorizing images and discourses according to their didactic and political intentions. The data analysis revealed the predominance of three representative categories: the indigenous person as a national symbol (civic allegory and political satire); the indigenous person and education for civilization (focused on religious catechesis, state tutelage via the SPI, and integration into the labor force); and the indigenous person as an exotic figure (explored through curiosity and folklore). It is concluded that O Malho collaborated in the production of a "paper Indian," distanced from real indigenous peoples and their cultures. This ideological construction oscillated between mythical exaltation and subalternation, legitimizing state intervention projects and naturalizing tutelage as a synonym for civilization, reflecting how its audience was educated on indigenous matters.