The Navel of the World:An Encounter with the Baniwa Collective

Click here for the map of the theatre park!

Umbigo do Mundo | Book Launch
Francy Baniwa
Umbigo do Mundo (en: The Navel of the World, Dantes Editora, Rio de Janeiro, 2023) is a literary and anthropological gem authored by Francineia Bitencourt Fontes, also known as Francy Baniwa. Born in the Assunção community along the lower Içana River in the Upper Rio Negro, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, Brazil, Francy is an anthropologist, photographer, filmmaker, and researcher deeply engaged in the Indigenous movements of the Rio Negro. This book launch event will take us on a journey through the ancient mythologies of Northwest Amazon, weaving together the local languages of Nheengatu and Baniwa with Portuguese. It offers a glimpse into Amazonian oral traditions through the lens of Baniwa knowledge. Francy Baniwa integrates her ancestral knowledge with academic theories, bridging the gap between urban life and her community. "Umbigo do Mundo" is illustrated by her brother, Francisco Baniwa.

The Kariamã/Kalidzamai Female Initiation Ritual
Francisco Baniwa, Francy Baniwa, Idjahure 
This gathering will shed light on the traditional Kariamã/Kalidzamai Female Initiation Ritual, a cornerstone in the lives of the Baniwa people. This important ceremony marks the transition of an adolescent girl into womanhood. Throughout her seclusion, the initiate is guided by her grandmother and mother, learning to craft essential objects and receiving wisdom on her future role as a woman. This period is rich with teachings on cultivating the land and respecting community norms. The initiation ritual also involves the sharing of advice by a respected elder, ending with the sharing of food among attendees.

The following exhibitions are part of the event The Navel of the World: An Encounter with the Baniwa Collective:

Photography Exhibition
Francy Baniwa
This photography exhibition showcases the daily lives of Baniwa women as they engage in traditional activities within their communities. Captured through the lens of Francy Baniwa, the photographs depict women working in fields, carrying baskets, processing cassava, roasting flour, making beiju, cleaning fish, and gathering fruits in the wild. Beyond these daily routines, the images also document the process of crafting objects with delicate precision. This collection serves as a visual record, celebrating the life and art of Baniwa women, providing an intimate glimpse from an insider's perspective. Through these images, viewers are invited to experience narratives of resilience, skill, and beauty.

Watercolors
Frank Baniwa
This exhibition of watercolors by Frank Baniwa was inspired by the narratives shared by his father, Francisco Baniwa, an educator at Escola Viva Baniwa and co-author of the book "The Navel of the World" ["Umbigo do Mundo", 2023]. Hailing from the Assunção community along the lower Içana River in the Indigenous territories of the Upper Rio Negro, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, Frank Baniwa’s artworks serve as a gateway to the traditional knowledge of the Baniwa people and the web of human and more-than-human lives across Amazonian histories and mythologies. Through Frank's brushstrokes, oral traditions manifest in vivid colors and dynamic forms, capturing the cycles of revenge between the eenonai and hekoapinai, as well as the powerful narratives of entities like Ñapirikoli, Amaro, Kowai, Kaali, and Dzooli. Frank Baniwa's work invites us into the heart of Amazonian spirituality and cultural heritage, narrated through his family's rich storytelling tradition.