Paper Short Abstract:

My postdoctoral research at the University of Brasília focuses on the restitution of a vast visual archive of the Canela's artistic and daily life, created by Crocker, former Director at the Smithsonian. With over 50,000 photographs, I aim to reunite the Canela with their visual heritage through digital restitution.

Paper Abstract:

In the heart of Brazil, amidst the sprawling savannahs of Maranhão, lies the vibrant culture of the Canela, an indigenous community from Brazil, whose story unfolds over centuries. My postdoctoral research at the University in Brazil, aspires to weave together the threads of history, memory, and identity through the digital restitution of the William Crocker Collection—an archive as expansive as it is profound. Spanning over five decades, this collection, created by Crocker, former Director at the Smithsonian Institution, comprises more than 50,000 photographs and 100 hours of film footage, capturing the essence of Canela life. It is a lens through which we glimpse their resilience, agency, and the nuanced dance between tradition and modernity. His work illuminates the oft-overlooked tapestry of daily life: the gentle rhythm of meals prepared, the tender care of children, the communal bonds that bind families. Yet, these images, so integral to the Canela's cultural identity, have remained distant artefacts, sequestered from the very community they depict.

This project seeks to rectify that distance. Through digital restitution, I aim to reunite the Canela with their visual heritage, transforming these archival materials into living, breathing repositories of memory and empowerment. My work, deeply rooted in the principles of cultural restitution, explores how such visual arts serve as unwritten forms of storytelling, allowing the Canela to reclaim and revitalize their traditions and histories. This initiative is more than a technical endeavor—it is a cultural, political, and ecological act of justice.