‘We for ourselves’, highlights Iraildes Caldas in international event on Amazon at Ufam

Mencius Melo – from Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – The Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam) is the stage of the 5th International Seminar Society and Culture in the Amazon (SisCultura), which began on Tuesday, 22. The event, which runs until Friday, 25, will feature big names such as the president of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), Renato Janine, the doctor and quoted to assume a ministry to the Amazon, Marilene Corrêa, and doctor Iraildes Caldas, who gave an interview to CENARIUM MAGAZINE.

Iraildes Caldas is a full professor at Ufam and coordinator of the event. PhD in Social Sciences/Anthropology from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Iraildes is the author of books such as “As Novas Amazônidas” (The New Amazons) and “Arquitetura do Poder: memórias de Giberto Mestrinho” (Architecture of power: Gilberto Mestrinno’s memoirs). In an interview to CENARIUM MAGAZINE, she commented on the dynamics of the seminar and the importance that the science produced in the Amazon has for the decisions about the Amazon itself.

“SisCultura is an international event with a totally Amazonian theme that takes place every two years. It is an initiative that has brought reflections on Amazonian problems. Every two years we debate themes, and in this edition we will work on the directions of science in the Amazon”, she highlighted. “As we are going through a period of contestation of the science, we decided to put it in the centre of the debate, and for this edition we are in partnership with SBPC, Capes and with researchers from Inpa, Ufam and other teaching and research institutions. It is initiatives like this that the Amazon needs in order to be respected”, she observed.

Knowledge

For Iraildes Caldas, the fact of having numerous representatives from Amazonas in the transition team of Lula’s Government demonstrates that knowledge is the best alternative for the region. “For the first time, important subjects are recognised in Amazonas. Science agents, representatives of social movements, representatives of indigenous peoples. For the first time, we have representatives of the solidarity economy, whose exponent is Tatiane Valente. We also have the representativeness of people like Marivelto Baré, the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of Rio Negro (Foirn). This is uniques” she celebrated.

When questioned whether the position of understanding the Amazon Region, based on the knowledge of Amazonians, has become part of national political and administrative understandings, she pondered: “I believe that we are in a transition phase. This stance is starting to be incorporated, even if somewhat slowly”, she assessed. For Iraildes Caldas, scientific advances are helping to change this behavior. “There has been a proliferation of post-graduate programs in our region. We have a scientific production ‘from within’. A series of doctoral theses, that is, we Amazonians, by ourselves”, she stated.

Production

The scientist highlights production figures. “We have to conquer more space. To get an idea, the PhD in Society and Culture in the Amazon is contributing enormously. With its new announcement and with the new rehabilitated classes we will contribute even more. We have already produced around two hundred doctoral theses. With the new classes, we are going to broaden this view even more. This in itself is a wealth of knowledge, a true inventory of our region”, said Iraildes.

For Caldas, this range tends to expand in other post-graduate programs. “The trend is to increase the number of post-graduate programs to build the idea of an ‘Amazon from here’. We have to be recognized as voices from here. We have to be recognized as producers of knowledge. As Amazonians who think and know their world”, she concluded.