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The indigenous Elcio Severino da Silva Filho Manchineri, known as Junior Manchineri, completed the Social Sciences course at the Federal University of Acre (Ufac) and participated in the grade collation using traditional elements of his people. At the ceremony, he used part of the Manchneri cultural costume, reaffirming his ancestry and the right to identity expression in the academic space.
Joenia Wapichana, president of Funai, along with Junior using the costumes/photo: ceded
Junior wore a head accessory and handmade textile part on the shoulders, inspired by Cusma, traditional Manchineri clothing. Cusma is a full -body clothing made of cotton and marked by indigenous graphics, produced by women who dominate the art of weaving in their people. In the case of Junior, the graphics chosen was the jaguar paw, symbol of strength and ancestry in the Manchner culture.
The pieces used by him were made on demand by an artisan from his family, maintaining traditional techniques. According to Junior, the use of the costume represents more than an aesthetic choice: it is a cultural and political manifestation of belonging. He explained that these elements are commonly used in important cultural events and institutional meetings, such as government spaces and indigenous movements.
During the graduation ceremony, Junior highlighted the respect and opening of UFAC’s ceremonial team for the incorporation of various cultural costumes and symbols. In addition, other students also attended their own visual expressions, such as traditional religious robes or accessories from other indigenous peoples, such as Apurinã.
Junior also stressed the importance of strengthening collective actions within the university, such as the collective of indigenous students of the Faculty of Humanities and the Indigenous UPEX, which promote extension activities aimed at valuing traditional knowledge in different areas.
The university allowed the young man to use the costumes/photo: ceded
“The entrance and permanence of the indigenous student at the university are real challenges. Therefore, moments like this, when we can express our culture with freedom, are symbolic and strengthen not only our trajectory, but also the indigenous presence in higher education,” said Junior.
“The graphics of the jaguar paw I carry represents the strength of my people. It is for art and culture that we reaffirm who we are,” he concluded.
