Das margens ao centro: mulheres indígenas nas esferas de poder contemporâneo (1988-2023)

Abstract

Indigenous women have played crucial roles in their traditional communities for generations, being involved in the preservation of culture, language, and the perpetuation of ancestral knowledge of their peoples. Outside the villages, these women have historically stood out in acts of resistance and in the fight for the rights not only of the original peoples, but also for gender equality. But what are the achievements of female indigenous representatives in spaces predominantly dominated by white men? Who are these leaders in Brazil, and specifically in Paraíba, who have gained visibility and power to amplify the cultural voices of their peoples? Considering the role of indigenous movements in Brazil, especially those led by women, from the promulgation of the 1988 Federal Constitution to the creation of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples in 2023, this work aims to analyze the presence of female indigenous leaders in spaces of power, especially in the political field, and the impacts that these representations have generated in the non-indigenous context and on the achievements of the original peoples. Based on the concepts of new Indigenous history, intersectionality, new political history, coloniality of power, and gender, we observe an intersection between gender, race, and politics. Through the analysis of testimonials of Indigenous women; records of Indigenous female candidacies at the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) between 1992 and 2022; and official sources on Indigenous rights, such as the 1973 Indian Statute, the 1988 Federal Constitution, and the 2002 New Civil Code, we discuss how these women's prior involvement in leadership roles within their villages and in national Indigenous movements provides them with the necessary foundation and visibility to amplify their voices in political arenas and to effectively defend Indigenous rights nationwide.