Terra, roças, quintais e percurso de sentidos

Abstract

The theme of indigenous farms and backyards is part of the larger field of sustainable devel-opment. We understand that the backyards, like the farms, represent a viable economic per-spective for the communities originated in our territory, since, at the same time, they function as domestic units and constitute a relevant part of the daily sustenance of these families. As a result, they are consolidated as a form of interaction between the communities and the local economy, a link based on products planted for commercial purposes, according to local and seasonal demands. Based on the assumptions of the Discourse Analysis, this work seeks to raise questions regarding to the legal rights over indigenous lands and the practices of despo-liation of these lands by invaders, farmers, gold miners, etc. It also describes the path of mean-ing that was based on the question 'what does land mean?', when the contrast between the voices of authorities that define the legal rights on land and the voices of people originated in brazil is made explicit. The texts of laws and some pronouncements of government authorities on indigenous lands are then taken, as well as the testimony of five indigenous individuals of tukano, gavião, omágua, tikuna, and wai wai ethnic groups.