Eduardo Galvão: dialogues on fabrics and braids from the Rio Negro

Woven and braided objects made from plant fibers, produced by the indigenous peoples of the Rio Negro, provide references for establishing dialogues with the writings and photographs of Eduardo Galvão regarding these materials and materiality. Weaving tucum threads is a female craft and was produced at the Salesian Mission of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, on the upper Rio Negro. The weaves, both the vine basket and the arumã tipiti, represent male knowledge of the indigenous peoples of the communities of Acariquara and Espírito Santo, located on the middle Rio Negro. In this article, we address the production and use of tucum fabrics and vine and arumã weaves, as observed in 1995, 2007 and 2010 in different locations in the northwestern Amazon.