Expanding Experiences in Contemporary Brazilian Literature

Auritha Tabajara, Eliane Potiguara, and Márcia Kambeba

Abstract

This article examines the relevance of Indigenous women's writing in contemporary Brazilian literature, highlighting Auritha Tabajara, Eliane Potiguara, and Márcia Kambeba as voices that challenge the boundaries and stereotypes of a literary territory dominated by hegemonic narratives (Dalcastagnè, 2012). These authors offer an authentic and diverse perspective of their identities and experiences, breaking away from stigmatized representations of Indigenous women. For instance, Auritha Tabajara deconstructs stereotypes associated with the image of Indigenous women by addressing themes such as sexuality and ancestry in her poetry (Tabajara, 2018). Eliane Potiguara, one of the first Indigenous authors in Brazil, also contests colonial narratives, exploring issues of identity and resistance (Potiguara, 2018). Márcia Kambeba, in turn, reflects on the life of Indigenous women in urban contexts and their connection to cultural and identity roots (Kambeba, 2018). We aim to highlight that Indigenous literature, especially when written by women, is crucial for diversifying and democratizing the literary territory, broadening the voices and representations within this space. We observe that these authors challenge literary colonialism by claiming the territory of literature as a space of collectivity and resistance, promoting a more inclusive and plural vision of Brazilian culture and literature.