Berta Ribeiro: Relations between Knowledge, Plants, and Anthropology

Abstract

In 2019, anthropologist Berta Ribeiro (1924-1997) was honored with a dress. Through analyzing this unusual tribute, we show how the clothes that honor her carry the relationships and stories of Berta's trajectory and work. We also show how the research interests of the anthropologist, ancestral knowledge, indigenous basketry production techniques, plants, people, and forest preservation relate to this costume (created by stylist Flavia Aranha), and engaging in dialogue with latent discussions in anthropology and philosophy, as well as with traditional indigenous knowledge. Through the wearable homage made for the "Wild: Cycle of Studies of Life" event, we engage with the anthropologist and her dress as a single bundle, whose fibers will be extended throughout the present article, as we look more closely at and explore their reminiscent yarns, textile lines, dyed hues, vegetable filaments, and also their human, anthropological and philosophical gradations.

Keywords:
Berta Ribeiro; Trajectory; Amerindians; Clothing; Plants