Indigenous candidacies
In
the 2000 municipal elections in Brazil, more than 350 Indians
ran for office, 13 of which for city mayor. Eighty were elected.
Anthropologist Marcos Pereira Rufino (Theme
Indigenous Peoples in Brazil/ ISA) writes on the subject:
'White People's' Institutions Elections in Brazil - like any other multi-faced event, a mixture
of celebration, agreement, combat and ritual - mobilize the media
also because of the anecdotes they produce. Curiously, the growing
presence of Indians in the electoral dispute is transmitted to
us exactly under such focus. In a way, the participation of Indians
in the dispute for office positions in the Legislative and Executive
is presented in the same tone of surprise with which the Brazilian
press describe Xingu Indians wearing rubber sandals and Adidas
shorts. It is as if Indigenous candidacies demonstrated solemnly
the inexorability of the acculturation process.
Beyond such folkloric view, however, there is indeed much to
ponder regarding this topic. The fact is that Indians of different
ethnic groups are dealing with the great institutions of the white
society and with political processes that belong to a social and
symbolic grammar that is absolutely strange to them, at least
in the way we are used to think.
Beginning with political representation, this much-hailed Western
institution whose origins are traced to the Athenians of Antiquity
Greece and, in its most contemporary form, to the French Revolution.
Representation involves, to say the least, mental premises and
categories very different from the native ways of doing politics.
The idea of delegating to an individual the power to act in the
name of the group in questions that are vital to it have deep
implications, such as, for example, the need for the creation
of a mediator who interposes himself between the Indians and decision-making.
Politics, which in many native formulations intersects extensively
in social life, being linked simultaneously to the rules of kinship,
to the religious and ritual complex, and to the cosmological discourse,
starts to circulate within a specific order, the political order,
governed by a bureaucratic rationality and based on values that
are assumed to be universally valid. Traditional forms of political
leadership - such as, for example, that of the elder, with his
sensitive discourse, his zeal for the permanent updating of the
mythological legacy and of tradition, his warrior prestige - give
way to a new form of leadership, centered around talented young
people, who went to school and speak Portuguese, and who are at
least minimally familiar with the codices and peculiarities of
the white man's world.
Parties, personal projects and gender relation...
As if all this were not enough, Indigenous candidacies must necessarily
deal with the mechanics of party operation. As it is known, political
parties are in themselves the result of compromises, interests
and complex arrangements. Often a candidacy cannot avoid but to
promote a political project that goes way beyond it, referring
not only to the interests of the local society as well as the
great national questions. Caught in this situation, the Indian
candidate gains still other identities: he becomes a liberal or
a socialist; and even other places to be - he is on the left,
on the right, or in the center.
To some observers, Indigenous candidacies reproduce arrangements
we are familiar with. Some of them are considered to be 'legitimate'
representatives of their people, indicated to run in the elections
by direct decision of their communities or of their respective
Indigenous organization. Others, on the other hand, are isolated
candidates, who are involved in a personal political project and
are determined to act in public life. The first ones would belong
to parties that are traditionally situated on the left; the latter
to parties of the right.
Gender relations also reflect such transformations. If within
the Indigenous movement the participation of women is increasingly
frequent - and there are even cases of Indigenous women organizations
-, local politics in a few municipalities witness the appearance
of the new social actor. In the 2000 municipal elections there
was even a female Kaingang running for vice-mayor in a municipality
of the Western part of the State of Santa Catarina.
These and many other questions certainly do not make Indians
ecstatic in contemplation, nor take them into philosophical discussions
about their new conditions of subjects of the 'higher' politics
of whites. In fact, it looks like many of them are in a hurry.
The 1996 elections, for instance, had a little over 80 Indian
candidates for city council and city mayor. In 1998, in addition
to the increase in the number of candidates, David Terena ran
for governor of the Federal District. In the 2000 elections, more
than 350 ran for office - 13 of them for city mayor - and 80 were
elected. In the condition of voters, the performance of Indians
can be quite impressive as well. In voting simulations carried
out in the State of Roraima, the president of the Superior Electoral
Tribunal was surprised to see how fast Indians used the electronic
ballot: they averaged 22 seconds, as opposed to the minute-plus
of many white voters. (Marcos Pereira Rufino - September/ 2000).
|
Elected Candidate
|
People
|
Municipality
|
Votes
|
Party
|
State
|
Post
|
| Virgulino Rodrigues Sales |
Kaxinawá |
Jordão |
106 |
PT |
AC |
Councilman |
| João Sales da Rosa |
Kaxinawá |
Jordão |
65 |
PT |
AC |
Councilman |
| Sivaldo Barbosa Sereno |
Kaxinawá |
Jordão |
127 |
PT |
AC |
Councilman |
| Gérson Barbosa da Silva |
Kaxinawá |
Feijó |
380 |
PT |
AC |
Councilman |
| Antonio Gilberto |
Kaxinawá |
Santa Rosa |
44 |
PC do B |
AC |
Councilman |
| Manoel Sampaio Silva |
Kaxinawá |
Santa Rosa |
32 |
PT do B |
AC |
Councilman |
| Roberto Feitosa do Nascimento |
Kaxinawá |
Santa Rosa |
32 |
PT do B |
AC |
Councilman |
| Francisco Lopes |
Kaxinawá |
Santa Rosa |
? |
PC do B |
AC |
Vice-mayor |
| Protásio |
Tukano |
São Gabriel da Cachoeira |
206 |
PSL |
AM |
Councilman |
| Domingos S. Camico |
Baniwa |
São Gabriel da Cachoeira |
242 |
PTB |
AM |
Councilman |
| Alva Rosa |
Tukano |
São Gabriel da Cachoeira |
297 |
PTB |
AM |
Councilwoman |
| Ailton Galvão |
Baré |
São Gabriel da Cachoeira |
304 |
PMDB |
AM |
Councilman |
| Robenilson Otero |
Baré |
São Gabriel da Cachoeira |
308 |
PSL |
AM |
Councilman |
| Cecílio Correia |
Mura |
Autazes |
215 |
PSDB |
AM |
reelected councilman |
| Adir Suzano Bastos |
Tikuna |
Benjamim Constant |
248 |
PSDB |
AM |
Councilman |
| Ofir Manoelino Aiambo |
Tikuna |
Benjamim Constant |
190 |
PFL |
AM |
Councilman |
| Davi Félix |
Tikuna |
Benjamim Constant |
356 |
PTB |
AM |
Councilman |
| Darcy Duarth Comapa |
Marubo |
Atalaia do Norte |
68 |
PC do B |
AM |
Councilman |
| Maria Raimunda da Cruz |
Kambeba |
Alvarães |
91 |
PTB |
AM |
Councilwoman |
| Miguel Arcanjo Barbosa de Araújo |
Tikuna |
Santo Antonio do Içá |
274 |
PSDC |
AM |
Councilman |
| João Lourenzo Cruz |
Tikuna |
Tabatinga |
323 |
PMDB |
AM |
Councilman |
| Darcy Bibiano Muratu |
Tikuna |
Tabatinga |
323 |
PMDB |
AM |
Councilman |
| Manoel Nery |
Tikuna |
Tabatinga |
173 |
PL |
AM |
Councilman |
| Iranildo Nóbrega de Melo Azedo |
Sateré Mawé |
Parintins |
956 |
PFL |
AM |
Councilman |
| Zildo Palikur |
Palikur |
Oiapoque |
183 |
PSB |
AP |
Councilman |
| Carlos Alberto Malaquias |
Galibi Marworno |
Oiapoque |
140 |
PSB |
AP |
Councilman |
| Ramos dos Santos |
Karipuna |
Oiapoque |
143 |
PSB |
AP |
reelected councilman |
| Estácio dos Santos |
Karipuna |
Oiapoque |
202 |
PSB |
AP |
Councilman |
| Agnaldo Francisco dos Santos |
Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe |
Pau Brasil |
197 |
PT |
BA |
Councilman |
| Áurea Christiany Neri Pergentino |
Tuxá |
Rodelas |
234 |
PTB |
BA |
Councilwoman |
| Josefa Pereira da Silva Xavier |
Pankararé |
Glória |
556 |
PFL |
BA |
Councilman |
| Francisco Alves da Silva |
Pataxó |
Santa Cruz Cabrália |
174 |
PMDB |
BA |
Councilman |
| Luzia Silva Matos |
Pataxó |
Santa Cruz Cabrália |
178 |
PMDB |
BA |
Councilwoman |
| Raimundo Nonato Kanela |
Kanela |
Fernando Falcão |
154 |
PSC |
MA |
Councilman |
| Maria Diva |
Maxakali |
Santa Helena de Minas |
106 |
PSD |
MG |
Councilwoman |
| Manoel Gomes de Oliveira |
Xakriabá |
São João das Missões |
187 |
PDT |
MG |
reelected vice-mayor |
| Livíno Gomes de Oliveira |
Xakriabá |
São João das Missões |
259 |
PDT |
MG |
Councilman |
| José Gomes de Oliveira |
Xakriabá |
São João das Missões |
161 |
PDT |
MG |
Councilman |
| Manoel Ferreira da Silva |
Pataxó |
Carmésia |
57 |
PL |
MG |
Councilman |
| Euzébio Batista da Cruz |
Kadiwéu |
Porto Murtinho |
167 |
PT |
MS |
Councilman |
| Percedino Rodrigues |
Terena |
Dois Irmãos do Buriti |
216 |
PT |
MS |
Councilman |
| Valdomiro Vargas |
Terena |
Aquidauana |
321 |
PV |
MS |
Councilman |
| Bartolomeu Patira Pronhope |
Xavante |
General Carneiro |
186 |
PPS |
MT |
Councilman |
| Jeremias Xavante |
Xavante |
Campinápolis |
289 |
PFL |
MT |
Councilman |
| Roberto Crixi |
Munduruku |
Jacareanga |
316 |
PSC |
PA |
Councilman |
| Aurélio Crixi |
Munduruku |
Jacareanga |
256 |
PSC |
PA |
Councilman |
| Hans Amâncio Caetano Kabá |
Munduruku |
Jacareanga |
174 |
PSC |
PA |
Councilman |
| Marcos Antonio dos Santos |
Potiguara |
Baía da Traição |
2043 |
PMDB |
PB |
reelected mayor |
| José Ciríaco |
Potiguara |
Baía da Traição |
152 |
PT |
PB |
Councilman |
| Genival da Silva dos Santos |
Potiguara |
Baia da Traição |
106 |
PPB |
PB |
Councilman |
| Roberto Carlos Batista |
Potiguara |
Baia da Traição |
153 |
PL |
PB |
Councilman |
| Manoel Messias Rodrigues |
Potiguara |
Baia da Traição |
233 |
PMDB |
PB |
Councilman |
| Idácio Gomes da Silva |
Potiguara |
Baia da Traição |
252 |
PMDB |
PB |
Councilman |
| José da Silva Bernardes |
Potiguara |
Marcação |
79 |
PMDB |
PB |
Councilman |
| Raimunda Cândido da Silva |
Potiguara |
Marcação |
128 |
PPB |
PB |
Councilwoman |
| Paulo Sérgio da Silva Araújo |
Potiguara |
Marcação |
127 |
PSB |
PB |
Councilman |
| Helena Maria da Conceição |
Potiguara |
Marcação |
128 |
PPB |
PB |
Councilwoman |
| Maria Luciene |
Kambiwá |
Ibimirim |
389 |
PL |
PE |
reelected councilwoman |
| Pedro Chico |
Atikum |
Carnaubeira da Panha |
209 |
PMDB |
PE |
Councilman |
| Edson Gabriel da Silva |
Atikum |
Carnaubeira da Panha |
280 |
PDT |
PE |
Councilman |
| José Vital |
Pankararu |
Jatobá |
204 |
PSDB |
PE |
Councilman |
| José Kagmu Olíbio |
Kaingang |
Nova Laranjeiras |
324 |
PT |
PR |
Councilman |
| Desmano Raposo Viriato |
Macuxi |
Normandia |
90 |
PTB |
RR |
Councilman |
| Moisés Ramos da Silva |
Wapixana |
Normandia |
126 |
PDT |
RR |
reelected councilman |
| José Novais |
Macuxi |
Uiramutã |
889 |
PPB |
RR |
Vice-mayor |
| Anísio Pedrosa |
Macuxi |
Pacaraima |
|
? |
RR |
Vice-mayor |
| Rodrigues Pinto |
Macuxi |
Normandia |
1493 |
? |
RR |
Vice-mayor |
| Nevis K. Farias |
Kaingang |
Benjamin Constant do Sul |
108 |
PT |
RS |
Councilman |
| Belo Farias |
Kaingang
|
Benjamin Constant do Sul |
97 |
PT |
RS |
Councilman |
| Batista de Oliveira |
Kaingang |
Benjamin Constant do Sul |
139 |
PMDB |
RS |
reelected councilman |
| Erpone Lopes |
Kaingang |
Gramado dos Loureiros |
143 |
PPB |
RS |
reelected councilman |
| Ireni Franco |
Kaingang |
Charrua |
100 |
PMDB |
RS |
Councilwoman |
| Moacir Venhkag Ferreira Doble |
Kaingang |
Cacique Doble |
214 |
PFL |
RS |
Councilman |
| João Fortes |
Kaingang |
Entre Rios |
? |
? |
SC |
Councilman |
| Elpidio Pripra |
Xokleng |
José Boiteux |
131 |
PMDB |
SC
|
Councilman |
| Valdo Correia da Silva |
Kaingang |
Ipuaçu |
101 |
PPS |
SC |
Councilman |
| Nilson Belino |
Kaingang |
Ipuaçu |
233 |
PPS |
SC |
Councilman |
| Orides Belino |
Kaingang |
Ipuaçu |
1227 |
PPS |
SC |
Vice-mayor |
| José Carlos Gabriel |
Guarani |
Ipuaçu |
115 |
PPS |
SC |
Councilman |
| Antonio Oliveira |
Kaingang |
Entre Rios |
? |
PPB |
SC |
Councilman |
Font: Conselho
Indigenista Missionário, october/2000.
