Modernity/coloniality is underpinned by a form of economy solely driven by monetary concerns, placing a strong emphasis on human-centric activities and wealth accumulation. For many individuals, particularly those entrenched in the duality of capitalism versus socialism, envisioning any alternative economic framework beyond this paradigm seems inconceivable. This limitation often confines critical endeavors to minor course corrections and propositions – many of which prove ineffectual – aimed at gradually mitigating economic inequalities and injustices.

 

The investigations conducted by Teia around this concept of healing take a profoundly distinct trajectory, grounded in a sense of a solidary economy. This approach emphasizes non-accumulation, readiness to provide support, and a mode of relational reciprocity that encompasses both the present generation of humans and those to come, as well as non-human beings, particularly acknowledging the often unseen labor of the latter.

 

Ubiraci Pataxó challenges the very trajectory of development within so-called modern economies, dissecting the term "des-envolvimento." He comprehends this concept as a gradual loss of belonging, a distancing from engagement with the Earth, and a diminishing trust in its capacity to sustain us all. The erosion of this confidence and connection, he argues, creates the necessity for stockpiling and accumulation – a stark contrast to the abundance naturally provided by Mother Earth and the safety net woven through an intricate system of nonlinear reciprocity. This safety net extends beyond material facets, encompassing psychological and spiritual processes as well. As he articulates, "For Indigenous peoples, the forest is abundant, and what it provides us is enough, even when it provides us with nothing."

 

This counterintuitive perspective, which challenges notions ingrained in modern society, is also embraced by the Tremembé people of Barra do Mundaú. Mateus Tremembé underscores how having little can provide lessons in caring, supporting, and sharing. This outlook demonstrates that individual healing holds little value unless it is pursued collectively. It's precisely through giving and sharing that abundance is cultivated. This recurring belief, found across various Indigenous communities, perceives poverty not as a lack of material possessions, but rather as a refusal to share – introducing layers beyond the economic realm into the concepts of poverty and wealth.

 

Nourishment itself teaches this ethos to the community. Take the maize harvest, for instance – the most exceptional ones aren't immediately consumed; instead, they are carefully preserved, dried, and distributed among the village families. This act ensures that in the subsequent year, 150 families can relish the finest maize from the prior harvest. This act of sharing, seen as a practice of healing, underscores the profound importance of every entity in sustaining our existence. This encompasses the basic elements such as air and water, extending to the intricate tapestry of plants and animals. By stewarding resources like water and ensuring its accessibility for generations yet to come, we extend our protective embrace to those on the horizon.

Ninawá Huni Kui perceives the reluctance to share as an ailment deeply intertwined with a sense of disconnection – not only from each other but also from nature as a whole. He views this perceived separation as an illusion, given that Mother Earth inherently provides ample sustenance for all to live in dignity. The excesses of accumulation, be it in land or wealth, result in a wound to this cyclical harmony. As an antidote to this affliction, he deems it crucial to rekindle the warmth within humanity's hearts, particularly by acknowledging the reality that, at this very moment, a brother or sister is thirsty, hungry, and facing difficulties. 

 

Excessively commercial relationships inflict wounds even upon Indigenous communities themselves. Within the Huni Kui society, the colonial process, particularly the rubber cycle, gave rise to the "boss" figure within communities. These individuals engaged with rubber tappers and gained more work materials and freedom, but often at the expense of others. This phase generated families aiming to exert greater political dominance than others (a legacy that persists). 

Through collective introspection, it became evident that the labor of nature within the territory, both unseen and invaluable, had been marginalized. As a response, the act of sharing one's production with the community, akin to the Earth's own giving, was encouraged as one of the healing practices to mend these exchanges.

 

The Pitaguary people highlight that the tradition of food exchange serves as a foundational structure from which many other exchanges spring forth, nurturing the community and strengthening its bond with the Earth. Rosa Pitaguary recalls instances like "farinhadas," gatherings where the owner of the cassava processing house brought the community together to make cassava flour. During these events, people took back not only cassava flour but also stories, songs, and methods for preparing remedies exchanged among the women. Likewise, the banana harvest atop the hill or the communal clothes washing by the river were moments that bolstered the community and provided support to those in need.

Stories also take shape as intergenerational exchanges, serving as a conduit for the wisdom of the elders and the forest to reach younger generations. Nadia Pitaguary recounts the tale of the "poço dos caboclos velhos," a place of meeting and exchange among the warrior hunters. In these spaces, they traded various ingredients – barks for creating medicines sourced from different areas – and a wealth of knowledge and connections with the forest were shared.

 

Exchanges with animals stand as a continual practice for the Pitaguary people, founded upon dialogues that encompass the sensitivity to perceive the signs of these creatures. This extends from the warnings provided by guarding dogs, responsible for both physical and spiritual safety, to the messages conveyed through crickets signifying luck in the woods, the sorrowful departure portended by nocturnal birds and white owls, and the outcomes of battles whistled by black hummingbirds. All these exchanges and relationships are orchestrated and sustained by Mother Earth, within her constant cycle of reciprocity and abundance. As recounted by Pajé Barbosa, seeds yield fruit, which is consumed and generates more seeds. Similarly, when a tree dies, it becomes nourishment, yet prior to this, it provides its bark as a dwelling for beetles. Within the brief present moment, amid these fruits, seeds, and generations, thrives a sacred mango tree – a sacred space for the Pitaguary people, a place where these physical and spiritual relationships find equilibrium.

 

Yoran Fulni-ô, contemplating balance and the mutual exchanges among beings and generations, underscores that the ability to engage holistically with the entirety of existence – encompassing both its material and spiritual planes – resides inherently within us all. It is imperative to reclaim this capacity for those who have lost it. Within the Fulni-ô community, the Great Spirit and the forest beings respond with joy upon witnessing people assisting one another and sharing knowledge, sustenance, and adornments. All these practices are intertwined with the principles of harmonious coexistence, bolstering unity and working to dissolve the sense of separation prevalent in modern times.

 

This principle is deeply intertwined with the people's territory, a dry and arid region in northeastern Brazil with a short rainy season. Without this visceral sense of activated exchange and mutual support, the community's existence would face far greater threats. Yoran emphasizes that the mistreatment of Mother Nature has led to various scarcities, including food, in many other territories. Solidarity and bolstering these exchanges will be pivotal in strengthening existence, resilience, and rebalancing the Earth's metabolism, which, in turn, brings "joy" to the beings of nature.

 

Gestures Towards healing and transforming our exchanges

​

• Interrupting patterns of consumption (of stuff, knowledges, experiences and relationships) as a mode of relating to the world;

• Decentering yourself and centering collective needs (doing what is needed rather than what one wants to do);

• Interrupting patterns of entitlement coming from social, economic and/or racial privilege;

• Interrupting calculations (based on self-interest or utility maximization) in order to give and receive differently;

• Learning to practice economies based on abundance, reciprocity and redistribution.