Living in the middle land: the Apurinã myth revealing historical reality

ABSTRACT

This article aims to show the historical materiality experienced by the Apurinã people based on their cosmology. It asks, does the cosmology present in the group’s mythical narratives register aspects of the Apurinã historicity? The article’s hypothesis is that the Apurinã worldview, which places Apurinã as a “middle people,” has its origin in historical immanence, and, as such, has experienced changes over time. Transforming into theological transcendence, this worldview has preserved traces of historicity that may help us to interpret the history of both the Apurinã people and the region they live in. The article is based on a specific bibliographic discussion and also uses primary sources and field observations.

Keywords:
Apurinã; worldview; memory; Purus River