Indigenous leaders' inauguration
January 22, 2009
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In the month the world saw the inauguration of the first African-American as president of the United States, two Indigenous leaders were inaugurated for the first time as mayor and vice-mayor of a town in the Brazilian state of Amazonas.
Pedro Garcia of the Tariano tribe and Andre Fernando of the Baniwa tribe were elected in October in São Gabriel da Cachoeira, in the northwest region of the Brazilian Amazon, with 43% of the votes.
Their election was widely celebrated in the area, where the majority of the population is Indigenous. Both leaders made their careers within the Indigenous movement and are former directors of FOIRN, the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of the Rio Negro.
The day started with a religious ceremony, followed by inauguration speeches. The leaders emphasized the need to work with Indigenous communities. Pedro Garcia started his speech in Tukano language, thanking everyone for their support and expressing his desire to strengthen multi-ethnic partnerships.
Symbolic presents including rattle-spears were offered in a traditional dance ceremony. Rattle-spears symbolize creative power and the connection between different astral layers, according to Tukano cosmology. The day finished with a dance show and party on the beach.
