Paper short abstract:

Despite ongoing controversies, Indigenous peoples have become a full stakeholder in the Brazilian Amazon, legally owning over 20 % of the region. Based on recent data, we will try to depict the current situation and analyze how indigenous peoples are involved at multiple levels in the current debate about the region’s sustainable development.

Paper long abstract:

Recent debates about the extension of Indigenous lands or about the legitimacy of Indigenous opposition to the Belo Monte dam have shown the persistence, in Brazil, of a strong opposition to indigenous rights. However, even if some clichés of the past, such as the motto saying “too much land to too few Indians”, have been put forward recently, the overall context of Indigenous peoples in the Brazilian Amazon has changed dramatically.

Until the decade of 1980, “Indians” were seen as “obstacles” (which needed to be removed) to national development. Then, after the adoption of the 1988 constitution and the Rio conference of 1992, the indigenous political movement began to gather momentum. Large tracts of “indigenous lands” have been granted (now covering more than 20 % of the Amazon), and an indigenous demographical revival was witnessed. Last, indigenous knowledge and practices were designated as potential sources of inspiration for sustainable development while Indians began to seek new sources of funding in “ecological” projects (REDD, etc.).

Nowadays, Indigenous peoples have become a full stakeholder in the political arena of the Amazon region. Difficulties persist: lands are still invaded by farmers or loggers, and infrastructure projects may have an impact on many of them. But at the same time Indigenous peoples now form an efficient lobby playing with its huge symbolical capital in order to oppose adverse decisions.

Our presentation will try to depict the current situation of Indigenous peoples in the Brazilian Amazon and analyze how they are involved at multiple levels in the current debate about the region’s development.