Paper short abstract:

Indigenous peoples and settlers have lived side by side trying to share a common space. Their different interests have often generated conflicts. This paper provides an overview of the cosmographies of the different social groups of the upper Juruá River Region and of their strife for survival.

Paper long abstract:

In the 1970's more and more settlers came to the Brazilian region of the upper Juruá River in search of land and means to earn money. Since then, Indigenous peoples and settlers have lived side by side trying to share a common space. Their different interests, however, have often generated conflicts. Trying to solve this social clash, the Ashaninka people of the Amonia River established the Yorenka Ãtame ("Knowledge of the Forest") School in the town of Marechal Thaumaturgo in 2007. This happened because they realized the need to work together and to provide all the neighbouring populations with alternatives aimed at a sustainable use of the natural resources, so that they could live with higher awareness in their own environment.

This paper provides an overview of the cosmographies of the different social groups of the upper Juruá River Region and of their strife for survival.