O turismo étnico como ferramenta para o etnodesenvolvimento da aldeia Tabaçú Reko Ypy, Itanhaém-Peruíbe, SP.

Abstract

Since the colonization of Brazil, its indigenous peoples have been facing countless conflicts related to the protection of their territories. In the pursuit of better living conditions, several indigenous communities have been thinking of tourism as a local development alternative based on criteria established by their own ethnic groups. The aim of this research was to identify the possible impacts and consequences for ethnodevelopment which were caused by the ethnic tourism developed and applied to Tabaçú Reko Ypy village, which is located between the municipalities of Itanhaém-Peruíbe on the southern coast of São Paulo, from 2013 to 2015. The community develops and performs this activity as a supporting tool for generating alternative income with the purpose of improving their living conditions and recovering their territory and traditions. Due to the fact that it is a recently formed village, no specific literature about its people has been found. All the documents and information about their politics, social behavior and culture have been obtained through semi-structured interviews, participation in field experiences and documents provided by the indigenous people themselves. The theoretical framework for this research was obtained through the existing literature on anthropology and tourism and its interfaces. This community organizes some field experiences related to tourism in partnership with agencies and also autonomously which were monitored and registered for this research for two consecutive years. Through this study, it was possible to identify several consequences arising from ethnic tourism and to reflect on possible future impacts that can be dealt with. In conclusion, this research showed that, through the actions taken by the Ñandeva people over the two-year period from 2013 to 2015, the possibility of making use of new tools and guidelines will be useful for them to achieve autonomous ethnodevelopment with the perspective of an inclusive model of tourism capable of generating income, respecting local culture and promoting environmental balance.