DEMOCRATIZATION OF HERITAGE PRACTICES AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL IDENTITIES IN TIMES OF RE(EXISTENCE)

Abstract

The central theme of this article is the construction of national identities through the possibility of patrimonialization of Maxakali rituals, that is, the yãmîy-cantos that refer to the yãmîy-singing spirits. In a transversal way, it highlights other issues that bring into discussion the marks of the struggles for heritage in times of (re)existence, while also problematizing the commotion by images of statues and/or other heritage assets burned/vandalized in 2021. From a decolonial perspective, the objective of our reflection is to answer the question: to what extent can the poetic-musical compositions (poemúsicas) sung in the yãmîyxops of the Maxakali be considered as an element of meaning for the elevation and registration as Brazilian intangible heritage, considering the new forms of resistance in times of coups, attacks on heritage and dismantling of democracy? To this end, the article is divided into two topics permeated by the understanding of heritage policies in Brazil, and by reflections on the construction/deconstruction of national identities based on the ways of life of native peoples.