Photos of an Indigenous Village Celebrating Its Roots Through Ritual

The feast of Saint Bilibeu empowers indigenous Brazilians to reclaim a precolonial identity and to protect their land.

by Ingrid Barros

translated by Livia Holmblad

May 21, 2018, 9:15pm

A version of this article originally appeared on VICE Brazil.

Fireworks were set off in Viana—a municipality within the indigenous Akroá-Gamela preservation in Maranhão, Brazil—at 6 AM sharp. It was Saturday, April 21, and the feast of Saint Bilibeu: an important celebration for the local community. Not only does the tradition empower indigenous Brazilians to reclaim a collective identity that has otherwise been silenced by years of Portuguese colonization; this year, it was especially representative of the community’s resistance against the delimitation of their territory.

In the Akroá-Gamela tradition, which is largely syncretic with Catholicism, Saint Bilibeu is the saint of fertility and miracles, and is often depicted in dark, wooden statues. Following the fireworks, each participant was assigned an animal character to portray: a puma, a margay, or a dog, all of which are related to indigenous folklore. Each participant also received a new name for the special occasion. After roasting flour in an oven, the “dogs” gathered around, rubbing their hands in the black powder. Then, they took the pigment and painted it over their faces and bodies, and crushed annatto seeds to create red lines across their darkened skin. The combined effect made them resemble the nature warriors their ancestors were.

The participants spread out, singing and chanting indigenous folk songs all the while as they began to hunt. Whenever an animal was killed or a "treasure" was found—a previously buried bottle of cognac, cachaça, or soda for the children—one of the Gamela would take it back to the village to prepare for the feast. Over time, the celebration became a play of sorts: if a bird was caught, it was used to bait the "dogs" to hunt for more prey. The participants paced in circles, threw water over their bodies, or smeared mud over the ground while growling or barking. Adopting these animalistic movements further connected them with nature, empowering them to return to their indigenous roots without the restrictions of colonization.

This year’s feast was particularly powerful. A year earlier, on April 30, 2017, a group of Maranhão farmers armed with machetes and rifles attacked the Viana community over a property dispute. The brutal attack left 13 people injured, including two people whose hands were completely severed. Despite criticism from the regional politicians—who asserted the Gamela were using the ceremony as an attempt to expand their territory and take back the land from encroaching logging and farming corporations—the Gamela disregarded the threats and looming animosity. Instead, they chose to send a unified message: “Quem não pode com Gamela, não assanha esses guerreiros.” Or, “If you can’t handle the Gamela, don’t mess with our warriors.”