Photo/ Foto: Julio Pantoja

Participants: Francisca Novantino (Brasil), Zeca Ligiéro (Brasil), Dalmir Francisco (Brasil), Kanatyto Pataxó (Brasil).

Moderator: Maria Inês de Almeida (Brasil)

Biographies

Francisca Novantino Pinto de Ângelo: Historian, belongs to the ethnic group Pareci. She is affectionately called Chikinha and her native name is Chikinha Nezokemaero Paresí. She acts in the Conselho Estadual de Educação, CNE/Mato Grosso State, being the first Native Woman to be chosen as a member of CNE. She is now studying for her Master's Degree in Education for UFMT (Cuiabá). She is specialized in Anthropology and in School Education for Natives. She has been a Native Teacher incorporated in the State Educational System since 1980. She was a Native Representative at the Natives Council from the National Natives´ Foundation (FUNAI) in Brasília – DF, 1998/1999. Secretary of the Natives School Education Council in Mato Grosso- CEI/MT, in the (gestão) 1995-96, after assembly on the 08 May 2001, held in Cuiabá/MT. She represents the Natives at SEDUC-MT, in the Conselho de Educação Escolar Indígena de Estado de Mato Grosso – CEI/MT, Cuiabá and in the co-odination of the Project for Teaching College Courses specific to Natives Teachers Training – College for Natives, UNEMAT/SEDUC/FUNAI, Law 420/2000. She has produced some articles, such as: Differentiated School Education and Native Peoples. The Native Issue. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Brasília 2003; Native School Education Council – CEI-MT – A room for Citizenship Action, Natives and Public Power in the Current Context. SBPC – 2004, Symposium. UFMT.

Zeca Ligiéro: Writer, director and drama professor. Received his PhD at the Department of Performance Studies of New York University. In Brazil, he is the director of the Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics, whose headquarters are in New York. He is also one of the founders of the MA course in Theater at UNI/Rio. He coordinates the Núcleo de Estudos das Performances Afro–Ameríndias (NEPAA), which organized the first Encuentro of Performance and Poltics in the Americas at the UNI/Rio campus. In terms of theater, he has directed O Mito de Medéia, As Loucuras do Doutor Corpo Santo, As Bacantes, and Kabaret Futurista. In the USA, he adapted and directed Guimarães Rosa's The Third Bank of The River and his own Elegba Crossing, a Journey. He has books published in Portuguese, Spanish and English. Among them we can mention Divine Inspiration From Benin to Bahia, Iniciación Al Candomblé and O Teatro Infantil de Zéca Ligiéro.

Dalmir Francisco: Brazilian, PhD. in Culture and Communication/ECO-UFRJ (dissertation: "Imprensa e racismo no Brasil: a construção mediática do negro na imprensa escrita brasileira" (1988/1998) – Rio de Janeiro: ECO/UFRJ, 2000.) Masters in Political Sciences from UFMG (thesis: "Negro, afirmação política e hegemonia burguesa no Brasil." Belo Horizonte: DCP/FAFICH/UFMG, 1992.) Professor at the Social Communication Department in FAFICH/UFMG. Participates in various institutions of the Afro-Movement such as SECNEB (Sociedade de Estudos da Cultura Negra no Brasil – Salvador/Bahia) and INTECAB (Instituto Nacional da Tradição e Cultura Afro-Brasileira). He is also a Director at Apubh (Ethnic, Gender and Social Classes Department) and at the "Fórum Nacional de Professores das Instituições Federais de Ensino Superior – PROIFES" (National Forum of Professors from Higher Education Federal Institutions).

Kanatyo Pataxó: Salvino dos Santos Braz (Kanatyo Pataxó) lives in the Retirinho Natives’ Village, located in the town of Carmésia, Minas Gerais State. In 1995, he was chosen by the community to take part in the Course for Training Indian teachers for Primary school in Minas Gerais, which he finished in 1999. He is currently teaching at the Pataxó State School "Bacumuxá", in the Retirinho village, where he teaches children from first to eighth grade. He states: "It is very important for me to be a teacher. It is at school that I am writing the history of my people and helping a little in telling the history of Brazil." During the years he's been involved in Educação Indígena he has participated in meetings, lectures, courses, seminars, and conferences. He has produced books such as Txopai e Itohã; O machado, a abelha e o rio (The Axe, the bee and the river); Cada dia é uma história (Each day is a story). He also participated in the elaboration of the book: O Povo Pataxó e suas histórias (The Pataxó People and their Stories). He has prepared pedagogical material for the school where he works. In 2000 Governor Itamar Franco awarded him with the Medal of Honor of Inconfidência Mineira and the Medal of Honor for Educational Merit, due to his important work in favor of education in Minas Gerais.

Maria Inês Almeida: Professor of Faculdade de Letras/UFMG. PhD in Communication and Semiotics from PUC/SP. Coordinator of the Programa Culturas Aborígenes at UFMG and of the research group "Literaturas: escrita, leitura, traduções." Consultant for the Secretaria de Educação Superior/MEC.