Indigenous woman Luana Melgueiro da Silva, of the Baré tribe, poses for a photo during a fashion event in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, on 9 April 2022. The exhibition is the first in the country to rely entirely on indigenous stylists and models. Image: Michael Dantas / AFP

‘A form of resistance’: Brazil’s first indigenous fashion show

Brazil’s indigenous groups enjoy a rare showcase into their various cultures with a first ever fashion show of its kind in the Amazon.

by AFP

11-04-2022 12:24

in Fashion and Beauty

Proudly donning majestic feathered headdresses, models sing an ode to the rain while a makeup artist draws geometric patterns on their faces, arms and thighs in preparation for Brazil’s first-ever indigenous fashion show.

“It is a feeling of happiness and pride,” 19-year-old model Moan Munduruku told AFP ahead of his turn on the catwalk in Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon.
Moan Munduruku

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REPRESENTING BRAZIL’S INDIGENOUS GROUPS

“We are very eager to show our talent, in sewing, in crafts. To show the world that indigenous people can also succeed” in fashion, he said.

Moan is one of 37 models – women and men – representing 15 indigenous groups of Brazil to take part in the month-long Intercultural Exhibition of Indigenous Fashion in the Brazilian Amazon’s largest city.

For the entire month of April, the catwalk is to host the creations of 29 indigenous designers.

“It’s a form of resistance, a way to overcome stereotypes,” event organizer Reby Ferreira, 27, told AFP.

“Here in Manaus, unfortunately, many people are ashamed or even afraid to recognize that they have indigenous blood. Our goal is for everyone to feel included and to show our culture to everyone through these clothes.”
Reby Ferreira

Indigenous models take selfies during a fashion event in Manaus, Amazon on 9 April 2022. The exhibition is the first in the country to rely entirely on indigenous stylists and models. Image: Michael Dantas / AFP

BRAZIL INDIGENOUS FASHION SHOW EXPLAINS THE SYMBOLISM BEHIND THE CLOTHES

The designers use natural elements in their creations, including the spearlike teeth of the peccary – an Amazonian boar – the red guarana fruit, acai seeds and coconut shells.

The same geometric patterns sported by the models are repeated in the fabrics that envelop them.

“My outfit evokes the (coming-of-age) ritual of the Ticuna girl,” said Kimpuramana, a 17-year-old model sporting a white dress adorned with black diagonal stripes.
Kimpuramama

On the runway, a presenter announces the ethnicity of each model and explains the symbolism behind the clothes and accessories they wear.

Indigenous models pose during a fashion event in Manaus, Amazon on April 9, 2022. The exhibition is the first in the country to rely entirely on indigenous stylists and models. Image: Michael Dantas / AFP

SHOWCASING BRAZIL’S INDIGENOUS GROUPS THROUGH FASHION

Saturday’s show was hosted at the Rio Negro Palace, an early 20th-century building that now serves as a cultural centre.

“I feel privileged to have been able to attend such an event in this place. We are generally excluded from such sites. Today I can see my people telling their story through fashion,” said participant Bianca Mura, 24.
Bianca Mura

As the models walked down the catwalk to appreciative applause, thousands of indigenous Brazilians gathered in the capital Brasilia some 3 500 kilometres away, for an annual mass camping event called Terra Livre (Free Land).

The gathering is both a rally for indigenous rights and a protest against the government of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who is in favour of opening indigenous reserves – already hard hit by deforestation – to mining and farming companies.