Pioneer in professional football with indigenous players, Gavião Kyikatejê Futebol Clube bets on an advertising campaign in search of sponsorship to stay on the sports scene, with good yields on the field and projecting new talents for teams from all over Brazil.
The team was founded in 2009, in Marabá (PA), by chief and coach Zeca Gavião – the first indigenous in Brazil to have higher education in football. He says he decided to create the club after seeing his failed attempts to enlarge young indigenous players in Pará teams.
“In the football scenery [profissional]indigenous people do not appear much. Until creating the Kyikatejê hawk, I went through a path of prejudice, “he said.” There is a lack of room for indigenous youth. “
“What motivated me to create the team was when I took some athletes [indígenas] To perform at a club in Pará. They were discriminated against, cut from the club and returned to the village. It moved me a lot, “he added.
Zeca promotes a campaign with a group of advertisers, voluntarily, to tell the story of the team and their players to combat prejudice and attract investors. According to him, the lack of resources impacts the development of training and games.
“We depend on support to keep, for example, a player from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and bring more indigenous people from other regions. Our biggest difficulty is to reach the elite of the teams. We need to have more cutting -edge players to reinforce The team, “he said.
Gavião Kyikatejê FC has already competed in the Paraense Championship, Parazão, in the first division, in 2013 and 2014, and even played against the traditional Paysandu and Remo. Now, he dreams of flying higher and debut in competitions such as the Brazilian Cup and the Green Cup.
The team still recovers from the damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic period, as well as recent problems such as burning-Pará was a state that suffered the most from the problem in 2024-and illegal deforestation in the region, which impact mode of life of traditional peoples.
“The response to prejudice will be our capacity, condition and knowledge, to reach a high level. We are an indigenous team. In our shirts [que levam as pinturas corporais da etnia gavião]We carry many stories, “concluded Zeca.
Apology and championship in Xingu
In July last year, Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira used the expression “Indian team” to address a team disorganization by analyzing the 3-1 win over Atletico Goianiense. The statement was considered xenophobic.
In his Instagram account, Abel apologized shortly after the repercussion. “I repudiate any and all form of prejudice and discrimination. Unfortunately, there are expressions that we continue to perpetuate without turning over about its content,” says an excerpt from the statement.
Already this year, Palmeiras promoted on January 29 and 30, in partnership with the Norway Embassy in Brazil, the first “Xingu Cup: for a greener future”, a football championship played by indigenous peoples living in indigenous territory From Xingu, in Mato Grosso.
The competition was held in Yawalapiti village and featured women and men’s teams. The champion in the men’s category was the Arayo FC, who defeated FC Wakatxi. Already in the women’s competition, the title was with the team Morená FC, who beat Bayer Pirino.
