Documentary on indigenous peoples questions LGBT+ identity in Brazil

The documentary “Land Without Sin”, directed by journalist Marcelo Costa, brings to light important reflections on the relationship between colonization and homophobia in Brazil, questioning the lack of its own identity of the Brazilian LGBTQIA+ movement. The film, which explores the diversity of indigenous peoples and the influence of European colonization on their culture, argues that Brazil was not discovered, but rather invaded, massacred and robbed by Portuguese colonizers.

One of the main points addressed by the documentary is the introduction of homophobia through the catechization imposed on indigenous peoples. Marcelo Costa highlights that, among the 305 indigenous ethnic groups remaining in Brazil, there is no translation for the word “prejudice” in any of the 274 languages ​​spoken.

The director questions how an imported LGBT+ movement based on American ideas can truly represent the Brazilian struggle, suggesting that the country needs to value its own references of struggle and resistance.

The film also addresses the ongoing process of invisibility and cultural erasure of indigenous peoples. Marcelo Costa, a 36-year-old native of Maranhão who lives in Brasília, believes that it is essential to retell the history of Brazil from the perspective of the indigenous peoples, highlighting the plurality and diversity of these cultures.

A historical fact highlighted in the documentary is the first record of homophobia in Brazil, which occurred in 1614, against an indigenous man of the Tupinambá ethnic group on the coast of Maranhão. The indigenous man, identified as “tibira” (the Tupi term for “homosexual man”), was tied to a cannon and killed by a group of French priests.

This tragic episode symbolizes the violence that, although less physical today, still persists against queer indigenous people, who face double prejudice for their sexuality and ethnic identity.

By Ezatamentchy