Indigenous Handicrafts in the Pernambuco and Bahia Sertões and Its Implications for the Conservation of Biodiversity

Abstract

The use of by-products of wild animals for the production of handicrafts is a common practice among indigenous peoples. Natives prefer to hunt birds because of the beauty and diversity of their feathers. In the Brazilian Northeast, this practice involves several hunting techniques, according to the species type. This research aimed to list the species of birds used in the handicraft of the Truká indigenous people and to characterize the techniques used to capture birds employed by the native hunters in the four ethnic settlements in the backlands of Pernambuco and Bahia. The information was obtained through semi - structured interviews applied to 23 indigenous artisans, in the villages Truká of Cabrobó, Orocó, Sobradinho and Paulo Afonso. Four capture techniques, slingshots, firearms, and traps have been identified, such as the trap and the trapdoor. The traps are the most commonly used technologies in the study area. In addition to crafts, informants have indicated the use of bird species in food, traditional medicine and domestic breeding as pets.