| Reflexões sobre a situação dos guarani no Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil (pdf in Portuguese or pdf in German) |
Friedl Paz Grünberg |
2002 |
The precarious situation of the two Guaraní peoples living in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso do Sul has even worsened over the last 20 years. Since the 1930s they have been obliged to settle in small and by now mostly overpopulated reservations, following the complete destruction of the regional ecosystem. These massive interventions led to far-reaching problems in the political, social and economic organisation of the Guaraní.
Nevertheless, during the last eight years not even one of the territories corresponding to the many groups, which are fighting for their constitutional land rights, has been actually demarcated. Working in projects with indigenous peoples in Latin America since 30 years, the author reflects on these problems, the Guarani’s efforts to regain orientation and the phenomenon of violence turned against themselves.
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La relación de los indígenas con la naturaleza y los proyectos de Cooperación Internacional
Reflexiones sobre la práctica (pdf in Spanish or pdf in German) |
Friedl Paz Grünberg |
2003 |
Summary: The relationship of Indian people with nature and projects of the development cooperation
Indian people have complex and varied relationships with nature. Traditional forms of this connectedness with nature as well as changes and discontinuities which arise from the conflict situation with Western society will be illustrated with concrete examples. The great deal of space which relationships with nature occupy in Indian cultures und the values related are not only an interesting incentive to reflect on our own relation to nature. We also have to take them into account if we want to give indigenous people adequate assistance and support in their difficult situations of contact with Western civilisation and radical change. Examples of the tradition and recent history of the Guarani people and experiences made during development cooperation projects in the Amazon Basin in Colombia and Brazil will illustrate the development of some groups of indigenous people from their traditional way of life into modern forms of life and point out some factors which make it possible to take a new constructive approach to these situations, which are mostly destructive and characterized by conflict. |
| Case Study: The Effects of Displacements and Ecological Destruction – The Example of the Guarani in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (pdf in English) |
Friedl Paz Grünberg |
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