The Iny͂ People of Central Brazil exhibition opens at Te Manawa in Palmerston North

Henare and Tungane Kani look at some of the ritxoko from central Brazil on display at Te Manawa. Photo / Te Manawa

What started as a way to entertain their children while Iny͂ women worked is now sharing an indigenous Brazilian culture with the world.

Nearly 100 ceramic figures, known as ritxoko, made by Iny͂ women of central Brazil are on display at Te Manawa Art Gallery. The pieces are also for sale though most have already been purchased.

The Iny͂ People of Central Brazil provides a glimpse into the life and culture of the Iny͂ through ceramics and film. The ritxoko portray daily life, traditional ceremonies, and myths and have become a significant source of income and prestige for the artists.

The artists live on Bananal Island, a large river island formed from the bisection of the Araguaia River, in southwestern Tocantins, Brazil. The island is part of Araguaia National Park.

There are about 3500 indigenous people on Bananal Island spread among 18 villages with the ritxoko artists living in Hawalo. While the Indians call themselves Iny͂ they are often referred to as Karajá.

In 2012, ritxoko were listed as a cultural heritage of Brazil by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage.

Iny͂ women originally made ritxoko as toys for their children to play with.

The exhibition is a collaboration between Museu do Índio in Rio de Janeiro, Massey University and Te Manawa.

Brazilian ambassador Marcos de Souza Campos and Te Manawa programme developer Roma Potiki at the exhibition opening. Photo / Te Manawa

At the opening, Brazilian ambassador Marcos de Souza Campos said the exhibition was a significant step in confirming Massey's commitment to bringing New Zealand a glimpse of Brazilian cultural diversity.

Professor Kerry Taylor, head of Massey University's School of Humanities, Media and Creative Communication, said the exhibition had been a long time coming due to Covid-19 and Te Manawa's busy schedule.

Part of the school's objective is to build trust across cultures, oceans and continents.

Nearly a dozen Massey staff have travelled to Brazil as part of a research collaboration on indigenous languages, Taylor said.

Massey Associate Professor Hone Morris spoke of the intimate relationship indigenous people have with the environment and the way they see it as part of their family.

Europeans see the environment as a product to be used while Māori see it as an older brother or sister. The land is written in the language, and the language is written on the land.

Massey teaches Brazilian Portuguese.

The exhibition closes on October 9 - free entry.