The Homecoming of Brazil's Sacred Tupinambá Cloak

After 380 years, Brazil's Tupinambá people celebrated the return of a sacred feather cloak from Denmark's National Museum. The artifact's homecoming was marked by traditional ceremonies and rituals. The Brazilian government, under President Lula, facilitated the return and emphasized the significance of preserving Indigenous heritage.

Indigenous chants and the rhythmic clatter of maracas reverberated across a Rio de Janeiro park on Thursday, as Brazil's Tupinambá people celebrated the return of a sacred cloak lost to them for nearly four centuries.

The cloak, crafted from the feathers of the scarlet ibis, had resided in Copenhagen, Denmark, until the Danish National Museum returned it to its Brazilian counterpart. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Indigenous Peoples Minister Sonia Guajajara attended a ceremony at Brazil's National Museum in Boa Vista Park to commemorate this historic event.

"It's impossible not to appreciate the beauty and strength of this ancient and well-preserved piece, even after so much time abroad. Preserving this heritage is our commitment," Lula remarked to an audience comprising dozens of Indigenous people and the general public.

The celebration signifies more than just the return of an artifact. For the Tupinambá, the cloak is a living ancestor rather than an object, essential to their spiritual and cultural identity. The emotional reunion included traditional rituals and prayers, further emphasized by the presence of many clad in feathered headdresses who performed ceremonies under the air filled with incense smoke.

President Lula's administration has promised to defend Indigenous land rights, establishing a ministry for Indigenous peoples. However, many in the Indigenous community express frustration with the pace of reforms, particularly in expelling illegal miners and demarcating new territories.

Indigenous Peoples Minister Guajajara acknowledged these sentiments in her speech, stressing the need for the swift recognition and protection of Indigenous lands. The return of the cloak, she noted, symbolizes the enduring strength and resolve of the Tupinambá people.

(With inputs from agencies.)