Curriculum Vitae

Tchydjo (Humberto Cruz)

He is a Native Brazilian shaman, leader of his own tribe, the Kariri-Xocó, and lecturer of his own traditional dancing-singing style, the "Toré". He is one of the founders of the project The Golden Eagle, (Projeto Águia Dourada), a project conceived to support a better understanding of the contemporary Indian in Brazil.

He has lectured and performed in several universities, museums, high schools and other institutions. He had traveled all over Brazil, singing and dancing the Toré. He has performed at the Universidade Federal of Rio de Janeiro in 1998, at the Pontificia Universidade Católica (PUC) in 1997,1998, and 1999, and at the Universidade do Rio de Janeiro (Uni-Rio) where he collaborated with director Zeca Ligiéro and a group of actors in the creation of the play "Toré" in 1999. He was invited by the city and the Museum of Niterói in 1998 to perform in the celebration of the "Day of Araribóia," teaching workshops in the municipal schools, etc. Tchydjo was invited three times to perform in "Villa Riso," with three other tribe’s leaders: the Pataxós, the Krenak and the Guaranis, sponsored by Arapoty, an NGO that promotes the relationship with and spreading of Native culture and religion.

He is the team leader and coordinator of some Vivências (Healing Experiences) in alternative spaces like Espaço Iris in São Conrado-RJ, Hotel Fazenda Xangrilá in Friburgo-RJ with the shaman Instan Xania, Espaço Coringa in Itatiaia (RJ) with Kaka Werá Jecupé, Espaço Dharma in Atibaia-SP, Chácara Santa Luzia in SP with the therapist Lucia Rolim.

He also represents the Kariri-Xocó tribe in different political and cultural eng/events, like the I , II, and III Encontro das Tribos Jovens (Third Young Tribes Festival), where natives from all over Brasil were present, sharing their rituals and philosophies, doing workshops and selling their handcraft products, in Porto Seguro, Bahia.