A territorialidade como nova possibilidade de (re)significar a identidade apurinã na cidade de Manaus

Abstract

This study discusses the thematic of the indigenous people in the city, more specifically the Aripuanã families. For a better understanding of this reality we proposed as the main goal of this research, trying to comprehend how the Apurinã indigenous, outside their original space, recreate their territoriality in the city. This work is based on a bibliography, documental and field researches. The discussion is based on the new Humanistic approach of Geography in a perspective that the territory category and territoriality help us to comprehend how the Apurinã organize themselves on the urban context. The territoriality is mainly linked to that notion of territory, however it indicates beyond this physical category and comprises a dimension not only political, but also the symbolical-cultural one, although this second dimension is not much discussed in Geography. The methodology used was oral history of life which were made fifteen interviews with indigenous that came from the village and for some reason they are living in the city. In addition to other methodological procedures like notes and direct observations, during the period of the year 2008 to 2010, helped us to realize the form of Apurinã organization in the city, among them the concentration in small family groups spread through many neighbourhoods in the city, the majority living in a precarious situation, nevertheless they find through their own strategies different ways to not lose their identity, and at the same time to fight for better life conditions on the urban context.