Illinois Global Institute

As the home to the area and global studies centers and thematic programs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the Illinois Global Institute is dedicated to fostering an environment where international perspectives are integral to teaching and research.

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Lemann Lecture Series | Rogério Sávio Link | The Apurinã and the Last Frontier: Historical, Mythical, and Anthropological Reality in the Amazon

Oct 22, 2024   12:00 - 1:00 pm  
Coble Hall 306
Lecture
Sponsor
The Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies
Speaker
Rogério Sávio Link is Professor at the Department of History at the Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR). Holds a PhD in History (2016) from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) with a research focus on the history of the Apurinã indigenous people in the Amazon during the 19th and 20th centuries. Also holds a Bachelor's degree in History (2017) from UFRGS; a Bachelor's degree (2001), a Master's degree (2004), and a PhD (2008) in Theology from Faculdades EST (EST), where the focus of the PhD was on the migration from the South and Southeast of Brazil to the Amazon during the 1960s to 1990s, with a focus on religious aspects and the role of the Church. His main research interests include: Amazonian History, Indigenous History, Forest Populations, History of the Church in Latin America, Anthropology and Migration.
Contact
Lemann Center
E-Mail
lemann@illinois.edu
Views
98
Originating Calendar
Lemann Center Events

This presentation explores the history of the Amazon, focusing on the Apurinã indigenous people, part of the Maipure family of the Arawak group, who inhabit the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Using linguistic, anthropological, archaeological, and documentary sources, I discuss the history of this people, as well as regional and international history. Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Apurinã territory became the last frontier of Luso-Brazilian expansionism, driven by the exploitation of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) by industrial capitalism. A central question is whether Apurinã mythical narratives reflect long-term historical aspects, and whether their worldview as a “people of the middle land” has roots in historical immanence, transformed into theological transcendence. Additionally, I analyze how, as an egalitarian society, the Apurinã structure their political, warrior, and religious power to prevent the emergence of coercion and class division. Finally, I address debates on the existence of distinct cultural ethos between the Tupi and Arawak groups, questioning the view of the Apurinã as an exception to the Arawak pacifist ethos, suggesting instead that they maintain this characteristic. Thus, I aim to immerse the audience in the Amazonian indigenous universe, contributing to historical knowledge.

Food will be provided.

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