About the project

Amid the tragedy of the pandemic, with death, mourning and the cowardly use of the virus as a tool to plunder rights, various forms of cure began to arise, which were found in the territories, hidden in the memories of the elderly. From sadness, the light of resistance is kindled, the power of recreation of the world. In a message to a Xavante friend who was able to cure himself from the virus with song, prayer and traditional roots, Ailton Krenak responded with the beautiful poem that provides the title of this project, written so that we never forget, as he never forgets: “Because it never knew the goodness that the sky holds from up high”. Combining news and feelings, Krenak wrote the poem, producing art, to not remain paralyzed and weeping. It is a poem that carries the dream, with light and color, to face this sad moment.

Another Sky arises from the international research project known as ‘Sustainable’ Development and Atmospheres of Violence: Experiences of Environmental Defenders
financed by the British Academy, which materialized along with the other project, Mapping Indigenous Rights Abuses in Northeast Brazil, and an emergency research plan to investigate the impacts of Covid-19 among the Indigenous peoples. The latter two projects are financed by the University of Sussex, in Great Britain. In an interdisciplinary movement and in a network, we use three research methodologies from political ecology, and the environmental humanities: reports of the experiences of the defenders, cartographies of conflicts realized by Indigenous researchers and students, and works by Indigenous artists about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, associated to the ecological conflicts experienced by the communities. The result is presented on this website, in a mapping and virtual exhibit, which interlink in Another Sky, and with the international network Atmosferas de Violência.

From these territories of art and war emerge different forms of resistance, narratives, constructions and reconstructions of worlds torn by conquest, colonialism and capitalism.

We combine here the complexity of the contemporary Indigenous struggles: art and war. The mapping was conducted by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers associated to the project, particularly students from three universities in Bahia: the Federal University at Bahia (UFBA), the Federal University at Recôncavo da Bahia (UFRB) and the State University of Bahia (Uneb). This is not a complete mapping, but a continuing process under construction. The idea is that the survey, in a partnership with this network of universities with the Indigenous movements, will continue, by including new and revised descriptions of conflicts; and simultaneously improving the descriptions already realized. It is also hoped that the project will develop by making visible not only the Indigenous resistance, as in the current work, but particularly those that perpetuate the violence and invasions of territories and Indigenous lives.

In conjunction with the mapping of the ecological conflicts, artworks were created by 15 Indigenous artists, as well as a documentary directed by two Indigenous filmmakers, Graciela Guarani and Alexandre Pankararu. The art that illuminates this constellation was created by the artist and designer Denilson Baniwa.

For another horizon of conviviality of differences, new worlds, that are more just and egalitarian, and another Sky suspended on high.

Project coordinators: Mary Menton (SSRP/University of Sussex), Felipe Milanez (IHAC/UFBA), Jurema Machado (CAHL/UFRB) and Felipe Cruz Tuxá (Opará/Uneb)

Project credits
Um Outro Céu / Another Sky

University of Sussex; Universidade Federal da Bahia Federal University at Bahia – Instituto de Humanidades, Artes e Ciências Professor Milton Santos The Professor Milton Santos Institute for the Humanities, Arts and Sciences, Programa Multidisciplinar de Pós-Graduação em Cultura e Sociedade The Multi-disciplinary Graduate Program in Culture and Society, Grupo de Estudos Multidisciplinares em Cultura Multidisciplinary Studies Group in Culture; Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia – Centro de Artes, Humanidades e Letras Center of Arts, Humanities , Literature and Language, Grupo de Pesquisas Memórias, Processos Identitários e Territorialidades no Recôncavo da Bahia Group for Studies of Memories, Identity Processes and Territorialities in the Recôncavo of Bahia; Universidade do Estado da Bahia State University of Bahia – Centro de Pesquisas em Etnicidades, Movimentos Sociais e Educação Research Center of Ethnicities, Social Movements and Education.

Projeto de pesquisa / Research project
Desenvolvimento “Sustentável” e Atmosferas de Violências: Experiências de Defensores Ambientais / “Sustainable” Development and Atmospheres of Violence: Experiences of Environmental Defenders
Coordination: Mary Menton (Universidade de Sussex) and Felipe Milanez (UFBA)
Financing: British Academy

Projeto de pesquisa / Research project
Mapeamento das Violações aos Direitos Indígenas no Nordeste do Brasil / Mapping Violations of Indigenous Peoples Rights in Northeastern Brazil
Coordination: Mary Menton (Universidade de Sussex), Jurema Machado (UFRB), Felipe Milanez (UFBA) and Felipe Cruz Tuxá (Uneb)
Financing: UKRI-Research England GCRF/Universidade de Sussex

Execução/ Project implementation
Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa e à Extensão (Fapex)

Artistas premiades / Awarded artists
Arissana Pataxó (Bahia)
Eduarda Yacunã Tuxá (Bahia)
Glicéria Tupinambá (Bahia)
Olinda Yawar Tupinambá (Bahia)
Edivan Fulni-ô (Pernambuco)
Leide Pankararu (Pernambuco)
Lindaura Xukuru-Kariri (Pernambuco/Alagoas)
Ziel Karapotó (Alagoas)
Benício Pitaguari (Ceará)
Reginaldo Kanindé (Ceará)
Arawi Suruí (Pará)
Irekran Kayapó (Pará)
Kryt Gavião Akrãtikatejê (Pará)
Isael Maxakali (Minas Gerais)

Prêmio especial / Special award
Ailton Krenak, Minas Gerais. Autor do poema Um Outro Céu / Author of the poem Another Sky

Comitê científico de indicação dos artistas / Scientific committee for selection of artists
Mary Menton, Jurema Machado, Felipe Milanez, Felipe Cruz Tuxá, Denilson Baniwa, Cristiane Pankararu, Alexandre Pankararu, Graciela Guarani, Paola Barreto, Naurinete Reis

Bolsistas / Student interns

  • Antonia Santos Kanindé/UFRB
  • Aparecido França Kiriri/Uneb
  • Daniela Araújo Jenipapo-Kanindé/UFRB
  • Flávia Correia Xakriabá/UFRB
  • Joana Darc de Souza Tuxá/Uneb
  • Raquel Alves Jenipapo-Kanindé/UFRB
  • Rutian dos Santos Pataxó/UFBA
  • Sheila Araújo Kantaruré/Uneb
  • Tatiane Otavia de Jesus Kiriri/Uneb
  • Wiliane dos Santos Pankararu/UFBA

Pesquisadores colaboradores/ Collaborating researchers

  • Cristiane Pankararu/Apoinme e MN-UFRJ
  • Daniel Pataxó/UFBA
  • Daniela Alarcon/MN-UFRJ
  • Eric de Belém Oliveira/Coletivo Consciência Negra em Movimento [Black Consciousness Collective] and N’Umbuntu/Unifesspa
  • Iuri Gomes Jenipapo-Kanindé/UFRB
  • Júlia Mota/UFBA
  • Lara Erendina/Nepe-UFPE
  • Maial Paiakan/Pesquisadora Kayapó
  • Rute Anacé/Mito-UFRB
  • Mika Peck/University of Sussex
  • Fran Lambrick/Not1More

Pesquisa cartográfica / Cartographic research

  • Lara Erendina
  • Cristiane Pankararu

Designer
Denilson Baniwa

Programador / Programmer
Pedro Moraes

Tradução / Translation
Jeffrey Hoff (English)
Nathalie Pavelic (French)

Preparação editorial / Editor
Daniela Alarcon

Agradecimentos / Acknowledgements
Adan Gonçalves, Adriano Jerozolimsky, Ailton Krenak, Amanda Krenak, Amaury Bepnhoti Kayapó, Ana Paula Lima, Antônia Flechiá Tuxá, Antonio Ruibaldo, Nira Silva,
Articulação dos Povos e Organizações Indígenas do Nordeste, Minas Gerais e Espírito Santo (Apoinme), Associação das Mulheres Indígenas do Ceará (Amice), Associação Floresta Protegida, Associação Nacional de Ação Indigenista (Anaí), Cacique Babau Tupinambá, Cacique Miguel Tumbalalá, Camilo da Costa Soares, Cacique Domingos Xakriabá, Centro de Defesa e Promoção dos Direitos Humanos da Arquidiocese de Fortaleza (CDPDH), Comissão Pastoral da Terra (CPT/Itabuna), Conselho Indigenista Missionário (Cimi/Itabuna), Dinamam Tuxá, Equipe do Colégio Estadual Indígena Capitão Francisco Rodelas, Fábio Titiah, Fabrício Lyrio, Fabrício Titiah, Federação dos Povos e Organizações Indígenas do Ceará (Fepoince), Jerry Matalawê, José Augusto Guga Sampaio, Júnior Tuxá, Kãhu Pataxó, Katia Silene Gavião Akrãtikatêjê, Lucia Sá, Luiz Marques, Magnólia Tupinambá, Maria da Glória de Jesus Tupinambá, Maria Rosário de Carvalho, Messias Bandeira, Movimento Unido dos Povos e Organizações Indígenas da Bahia (Mupoiba), Naine Terena, Nenzinho Gavião Akrãtikatêjê, Not1More, O-e Paiakan, Seu Lírio Tupinambá (Rosemiro Ferreira da Silva), Pedro Vieira Cruz, Programa de Pesquisas sobre Povos Indígenas do Nordeste Brasileiro (Pineb-UFBA), Rede de Apoio Mútuo aos Povos Indígenas do Sudeste do Pará, Sandro Tuxá, Sheila Brasileiro, Sonia Guajajara, Takaktyx Kayapó, Tania Paiakan, Tayra Tuxá, Uhitwê Pataxó, Valdemar Xakriabá, Valdinho Xavier dos Santos Xakriabá (in memory), Winuhu Suruí.

Exhibition
Territories at war are also territories where artists imagine recreating the world and defending memories. Inspired by a poem by Ailton Krenak in Another Sky the academic coordinators of the project organized a committee composed of Indigenous researchers in the project to select 15 artists to be awarded in recognition of their work and trajectories. The commission included: the artist and designer Denilson Baniwa; researcher Cristiane Pankararu; spokespersons for the entity Articulation of the Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of the Northeast, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo (Apoinme), Alexandre Pankararu and Graciela Guarani; the artist and professor in the Interdisciplinary Bachelor in Arts program of the Federal University at Bahia, Paola Barreto; and representation from the Nucleus for Affirmative Actions (Nuade) of the Federal University at Southern and Southeast Pará (Unifesspa). Each artist selected earned a commission to produce a work amid these times of pandemic and conflict. Ten people were selected from the Northeast, two from Minas Gerais and three from southern and southeastern Pará.

Artistas premiades / Awarded artists

Arissana Pataxó (Bahia)
Eduarda Yacunã Tuxá (Bahia)
Glicéria Tupinambá (Bahia)
Olinda Yawar Tupinambá (Bahia)
Edivan Fulni-ô (Pernambuco)
Leide Pankararu (Pernambuco)
Lindaura Xukuru-Kariri (Pernambuco/Alagoas)
Ziel Karapotó (Alagoas)
Benício Pitaguari (Ceará)
Reginaldo Kanindé (Ceará)
Arawi Suruí (Pará)
Irekran Kayapó (Pará)
Kryt Gavião Akrãtikatejê (Pará)
Isael Maxakali (Minas Gerais)

Prêmio especial / Special award
Ailton Krenak, Minas Gerais. Autor do poema Um Outro Céu / Author of the poem Another Sky