Cartography as part of the Training of Indigenous Agroforestry Agents in Acre

Written on 31 December 2025. Posted in News

BY RENATO ANTONIO GAVAZZI FOR INDIGENOUS DEBATES

BrazIn the Brazilian Amazon, Indigenous Peoples take part in cartography workshops where they learn to create their own maps of the territory. These workshops not only provide practical tools for managing and monitoring their lands but also give rise to genuine works of art that reflect their worldview. Unlike academic maps, Indigenous cartography is rich in colours, symbols and drawings, reinforcing both cultural identity and heritage.

Nearly three decades ago, in Acre, a state in north-western Brazil, a new and strategic social category emerged: the Indigenous Agroforestry Agent. This new generation of young Indigenous leaders grew out of intercultural education processes, the acquisition of literacy and a second language, and access to knowledge that requires engagement with non-Indigenous society. Trained by the Pro-Indigenous Commission of Acre (CPI-Acre), a civil society organisation, these professionals have taken on the task of leading the territorial and environmental management of their lands. Over the years, they have provided vital services to their communities and to the country, advancing initiatives for sustainable development and collective wellbeing through innovative policies and projects.

The training of Indigenous Agroforestry Agents is designed to ensure that Indigenous Peoples themselves take control of managing their territories. Much of this work focuses on practical initiatives within Indigenous Lands: promoting local development with an emphasis on food sovereignty and agroecology; conserving natural resources; protecting forests; raising community awareness of socio-environmental challenges; carrying out territorial monitoring and surveillance; and implementing health, education, cultural and productive programmes aimed at diversifying food sources and expanding socio-economic alternatives.

Within this process, Indigenous Cartography has become an essential tool in the training of Agroforestry Agents, as mapping provides a means to (re)imagine and understand geographical space and the organisation of territories.

The Making of Maps

In Indigenous Cartography classes, a wide range of papers is used for map-making: Canson, Arches, wood, sulphite and card of various sizes. This provides Agroforestry Agents with greater freedom to give form to their geographical knowledge. Large sheets are especially valued, as they allow for clearer and more detailed representation of information. From the very beginning of this practice, the joy Indigenous participants take in drawing has been evident, with maps brought to life through the generous use of colours. In Indigenous societies, art permeates every aspect of life, and this too is reflected in their maps, many of which stand as true works of art.

The arts have always held a privileged place in the curriculum of Agroforestry Agents, and in cartography classes particular attention is paid to the artistic dimension of map-making. A variety of materials is therefore provided, including coloured pencils, tempera, watercolours, Indian ink and crayons (the latter accompanied by vegetable oils to dissolve the wax on the paper). Yet, because of their simplicity and low cost, 12-colour markers remain the most widely used tool.

Before the creation of each map begins, there is a discussion on how best to work with the sheet of paper. Students are guided on where to place the title and the legend, with the aim of organising the space so that all the necessary information can be included. Efforts are also made to structure the drawing on the page, although the Agroforestry Agents often end up doing this in their own way. Map construction starts with pencil and eraser and is then finalised by outlining the figures with Indian ink pens or fine-tipped black ballpoint pens, which give greater emphasis to the shapes. Once the map has been drawn, the colouring begins: first following the colours established in the Indigenous legend and later allowing room for free creative expression.

Time management is a crucial aspect of the process. As the Agroforestry Agents aim to produce work that is meticulous, polished and rich in detail and information, maps require considerable time to complete. This refinement mirrors the care and beauty that Indigenous peoples dedicate to producing the artefacts of their culture. Completing a mental map of an Indigenous Land on card often takes more than two days. In many cases, the Agroforestry Agents continue their work after class hours, often late into the night. At other times, depending on the size of the map and the number of agents involved in its production, it may take more than four days to finish.

The Aesthetics of Indigenous Cartography

Agroforestry Agents are encouraged to name the maps they produce, with titles written either in their Indigenous language or in Portuguese. The concepts behind the Indigenous legend are discussed, applying the colours agreed upon by Indigenous teachers—the same ones used in geography teaching materials in schools. Since the agents already understand the meanings of the symbols representing the features on the map, the creation of the legend itself is left open to their interpretation. Discussions also address the identification of Indigenous methods of orientation—sunset, sunrise, waterways and celestial bodies—while incorporating Western conventions such as cardinal points and the compass rose.

Indigenous maps are bilingual, produced in both Indigenous languages and Portuguese. Newly-coined terms in the Indigenous language are often debated among the agents until consensus is reached. The Huni Kuĩ refer to the map as mae dami, meaning “drawing of the land”, and also use maewã tanati, or “large space with abundant information”. For agroforestry system maps, they use bai hanu mibã tibi husia (“path of mixed plants”), and later coined mibã haya txakama (“existence of many different plants”), still used today to translate “Agroforestry System”. The word for “legend” is unãti, meaning “sign”, “mark” or “clock that tells the time”.

At the start of the cartography classes, particular emphasis is placed on creating neologisms in Indigenous languages, generating new terms that are incorporated into the maps and thus contribute to the conceptual construction of the work. A map in the Indigenous language not only facilitates understanding among its creators but also among other Indigenous communities. Being written in their own language—rather than that of the coloniser—it becomes an ethnic and political marker, affirming both culture and minority languages. It also serves as a means of understanding power relations and domination: a way to decolonise oppressive ideologies.

The Map as Indigenous Art

In Indigenous societies, art plays a central role in shaping cultural identity. In the case of Indigenous maps, attention is drawn to the composition of colours, the fluidity of the forms, and their aesthetic qualities. This notable sense of beauty is believed to stem from the joy these “new cartographers” experience while drawing. The art of map-making is characterised by naturalness, originality, simplicity, freedom, and informality, as academic techniques such as perspective, formal composition, and standardised use of colour are absent. This allows for the recording of a vision of the world—a social experience that reflects Indigenous knowledge and skill, both in the visual arts and in understanding local ecosystems and biodiversity.

Imbued with artistic expression, these maps reveal Indigenous thinking about territory and land. They also carry a political dimension, as they are continuously created and reworked over the years, a dynamism that mirrors and expresses the lives of the Agroforestry Agents themselves. Some maps even feature letters shaped like animals, people or plants, and edges decorated with arches and arrows. Other groups, such as the Ashaninka, incorporate designs inspired by their traditional clothing.

In summary, Indigenous maps are unique works that reflect the inspiration of their creators. They are rarely mere geographical representations: they are accompanied by a range of personal meanings and symbols. Decorative elements play a symbolic role in much of Indigenous cartography. For example, around the borders of the maps, Agroforestry Agents include kene kuĩ (“true drawings”): traditional geometric designs representing ancestral knowledge passed down through the generations and taught to Huni Kuĩ women by the boa. These motifs depict elements of nature such as animals and plants and are found not only in body painting but also in textiles, ceramics, basketry, benches and ornaments—and today they can also be seen on the walls and floors of their homes.

Images that Symbolise Hope

Over time, the distinctive style of each Indigenous people becomes increasingly apparent in the production of their maps. Each group possesses its own aesthetic, stylistic tendencies, and unique line work. The different styles—Huni Kuĩ, Noke Koī, Yawanawa, Manxineru, or Ashaninka—are easily recognisable. As with paper drawings, the graphic art of these maps reflects Indigenous conceptions of the universe, while simultaneously reaffirming ethnic identity and demonstrating a fundamentally aesthetic sensibility.

Maps produced by Agroforestry Agents are remarkable for combining aesthetic and political dimensions. The striking beauty of Indigenous maps can sometimes obscure their recognition as political instruments, leading them to be seen merely as works of art. Yet the political dimension is evident in the linguistic aspect, with legends and titles written in Indigenous languages. This also appears in the demands made to the State, fostering political dialogue with both national and international society. Furthermore, it is present in claims related to land, healthcare, natural resource conservation, and the recognition of cultural identity.

Indigenous maps convey meanings, knowledge, and assertions. Beyond serving as tools for internal community use, they also function as instruments for engagement with modern Western society. These maps are not static: each is not simply a finished product but the outcome of an ongoing process of dialogue involving Indigenous communities, their advisors, neighbouring populations, and the Brazilian State. In this sense, the maps are also visions of a different future—symbolic images of hope for a more just, plural, and inclusive country.

Renato Antonio Gavazzi is an Indigenist and geographer, specialising in Biodynamic Agriculture (Emerson College) and holding a Master’s degree in Geography (University of São Paulo). Since 1983, he has trained teachers, health agents, and Indigenous Agroforestry Agents in Brazil and Venezuela. He is currently a member of the Pro-Indigenous Commission of Acre.

Cover map: Kaxinawa Indigenous Land of the Jordão River. Map: Arlindo Maia Tene and Aldea Belo Monte

Tags: Indigenous Debates