Ethnicity and urban life: Beija-fl or Village

Abstract

In the 1980s, in Rio Preto da Eva city-Amazonas state, an American businessman named Richard Melnik established what he called an “indigenous community” specialized in the making of “indigenous crafts” which were sold in his shop in Manaus city. Between the decades of 1980 and 1990, in this area, many families from different ethnic groups went to live in the area corresponding to this community. Initially, to the “community” came Yanomami, Tukano, Hiskariana indigenous, who built their respective huts. Then Sateré Mawé and Dessana indigenous established in thes same area, thus constituting the “Beija-flor indigenous community”. From 1997 on, the Indians began to be coerced to leave the area by an alleged Mr. Richard´s attorney, who claimed the area for the construction of a residential zone. After several conflicts, the politically mobilized indigenous, conquered the land by means of the Municipal Law 302, which provides the expropriation of the are for the benefit of the indigenous families that compose the community. This article focuses the relation between this conflict and the process of constitution of the indigenous community.