The Ways They Make War With Worlds, 2020
Installation with Black and White Photographs and the translated text of Alvaro Tukano’s presentation to the Russel Tribunal in 1980
Dimensions variable
The photographs of the Museum of the Indian run by the Salesians in Manaus, Amazon were taken in early 80’s by the artist. In the section on animals of the Amazon, the museum had on display (at the time) in jars on shelves the body fat of respected and sacred beings such as the River Dolphin, the Jaguar and the Boa Constrictor – on view to the local Indigenous children. The section on vegetation consisted of small cut rectangles of highly polished wood samples, like in a furniture shop catalogue. One representation of an Indigenous man had the awkwardly made maquette inside a tight vitrine. On display was also a graphic representation of the arrival of different missions in the Amazon from the 17th century onwards; such as those of the Jesuits, Franciscans, Carmelites and Salesians, which includes a listing of Indigenous Peoples „In primitive state“ and „Acculturated“. A maquette was on display of a „How a Mission is Organized“. The boarding schools of the Salesian missions were eventually forced to close due to the accusations made by Alvaro Tukano at the Russel Tribunal in 1980. (His speech has been translated into English by M.T. Alves.)
PDF (English) of Alvaro Tukano's Speech
