Abstract

This article articulates the testimonies of two Indigenous people from the Katxuyana and Kahyana tribes – Juventino Pesirima Kaxuyana and Neide Imaya Wara Kayana, who is also an author – with aspects of these peoples’ struggle to preserve their cultures within the context of cultural policies in Brazil. It highlights the leading role of Indigenous people in defending their rights and in initiatives for cultural self-esteem. It reflects on projects such as the reconstruction of the tamiriki house, within the scope of the Indigenous Cultures Award, and the inventory of the txamatxama feather crown, within the scope of an intangible heritage project. It emphasizes the importance of these Indigenous people visiting museums and accessing their museum artifacts in situ as a strategy and agency in cultural revitalization, the reactivation of memories, and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge.

Keywords

katxuyana, Kahayan, indigenous peoples, cultural policy, intangible cultural heritage