Patrimonialization And Interculturality In The Museal Representation Of Amazonian Indigenous Peoples: A Case Study

Abstract

This article analyses, based on a case study of the Museum of Amazonian
Indigenous Cultures, the ways in which Amazonian indigenous peoples are
represented in museums and the tensions that exist between processes of
heritage preservation and contemporary approaches to interculturality. The
aim is to examine the extent to which the museographic narrative constructs
representations that prioritise aesthetic and cultural dimensions, or whether
it incorporates aspects linked to contemporary agency, territory, collective
rights and the socio-political dynamics of indigenous peoples.
Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative approach based on direct observation of the exhibition galleries, analysis of curatorial texts and systematic photographic documentation of the museographic elements. From a theoretical framework that brings together critical museology, decolonial approaches and political ecology, the results show that, whilst the museum acknowledges Amazonian cultural diversity, an aestheticised representation  predominates, situating indigenous peoples in a past temporal framework, with limited visibility given to their contemporary processes and key dimensions such as territory, collective rights and socio-environmental conflicts. In line with international debates on cultural representation, the study shows that these forms of exhibition are not neutral, but rather contribute to the reproduction of epistemic hierarchies and processes that depoliticise indigenous identities. Finally, it highlights the need to move towards more participatory museographic models based on the co-production of knowledge, which incorporate the contemporary voices and experiences of indigenous peoples themselves.