The Body As Cultural Practice: Brazilian Indigenous Narratives and Body Painting in Ritual Expression

In this discussion, we aim to present the body paintings of indigenous peoples in Brazil as dynamic narratives of their cultural practices. These paintings, understood as living manifestations that transcend forms, colors, and patterns, are created for specific rituals, symbolizing life stages and the identities of community members, and reflecting the diverse cosmologies of these peoples. These artworks carry narratives and cultural discourses that can only be fully understood within the context in which they are produced, where the relationship between the painter and the painted, as well as the dialogue that unfolds during the process, constitute a ritualistic and ancestral practice. Unlike permanent tattoos in non-indigenous cultures, indigenous body paintings are ephemeral, as their significance also lies in the act of inscribing them on the body. The process of painting and composing the designs on another person is an intrinsic part of the cultural practice itself. Each stroke imprints a story on the body, which is expressed through rituals, dance, song, and the collective sharing of this cultural expression. The body paintings of the Apyãwa and A'uwẽ peoples, for instance, are part of practices that integrate the individual with the community and nature. Inspired by the reflections of Ailton Krenak (2019), we understand these practices as a form of resistance to a way of life that separates human beings from nature, reaffirming the interdependence between body, culture, and environment. The painted body narrates and dances, connected to its ancestry and the wisdom of natural cycles, and the sacredness lies both in the creation and at the moment these cultural narratives are expressed. Thus, the various indigenous body paintings in Brazil are cultural practices that celebrate the interconnectedness of body, art, and the environment.