The Atuyuwa masks of the Apapaatai

Apapaatai are the numerous spirit beings that populate the territory and the shamanic cosmogony of Waurá, in the Brazilian Amazon of the Upper Xingu. These immortal beings have a time of their own. They belong to the original antiquity of humanity, when they shared the same space-time sphere with human beings. The Apapaatai spirits embody animals and natural elements that are part of the social universe of the Waurá. Dubious beings establish chaos, while at the same time promoting a cure for the ills they cause. The round masks recover and materialize, through their shape, the circular sense of the Waurá relationship with time and space, in its daily connection with things and beings. The circle is present in the demarcation of the territory, in the layout of the architecture, in the movements and meanings of rituals, in orality, in any instance that moves the life cycle.

Pirathá Waurá, a member and photographer from the Piyulaga village, tells us more about the masks and their use. He is the author of the images that present the landscapes of the Waurá people, in the context of this exhibition.

… rarely does this masking ceremony take place. So this masking ritual happened 20 years ago, in 2004.

The mask is produced through the eyes of shamanism. And that mask is the owner of a large tree. It’s actually an Atuyuwa mask. He’s a chieftain… one of the chief leaders of nature’s spirits.

So, when a person loses the desire to eat something, or has forgotten to eat, or is wanting to eat and couldn’t… then the spirit attacks, right? And hurting that person. And then the patient’s family seeks to consult the shaman. Then he looks, examines, smokes that big cigar. And it communicates with the spirit. Then she discovers that this mask, Atuyuwa, is hurting that person. From now on, there’s food in the center. The family takes and chooses the person who can present that spirit.

And after that, those chosen ones will introduce themselves to him, at the house where he is feeling sick. Then, then the patient, the patient, gets better. And to improve 100%, he has to make the mask. Then, when the process begins, it will feed people, so that the spirit will enjoy it a lot. Determine and make that presentation in the center of the village, go to the house and come back. Dance, that stuff… so that’s how it goes.

When this dance is over, (the mask) is kept in the center of the village. The village has a circular shape and there is a men’s house in the middle of the village. That’s where it’s stored.

Then, the person responsible, the one who produces, asked to take care, and takes the patient to the house, who had already been ill that day. And all that process, all that ceremony, dances, the spirits are cheerful and don’t harm the person anymore. But he became a protector of that person. And after that, he protects against other evil spirits.

So what is that? So, every mask that we do, this ritual that we do, is a… it’s a healing ritual, so to speak. And when you do that, it’s something like, when you get a vaccine, you get immunized, right? And for us, this mask is like that too. When you produce a mask for yourself, you are protected from other evils. So that’s the story of Atuyuwa. First he attacks, and then when he performs the ritual, he becomes his protector. It will protect you from other evils.

Pirathá Waurá

Telephone conversation, May 2024

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STRATEGIC ADVICE

Malu Paiva (President)

Flávia Constant (Vice President)

Hugo Barreto

Octavio Bulcano

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Hugo Barreto (CEO)

Luciana Gondim

Gisela Rosa

PROJECTS AND SPONSORSHIPS

Marize Mattos

Team: Ana Beatriz Abreu; Barbara Alves; Elizabete Moreira; Eunice Silva; Fabianne Herrera; Flávia Dratovsky; Jessica Morais; Joana Martins; Luciana Vieira; Maristella Medeiros; Michelle Amorim; Neila Souza; Nihara Pereira; Renata Mello

Gabriel Gutierrez (Direction)

Deyla Rabelo (Steering Assistant)

Ubiratã Trindade (Educational Program Coordination)

Alcenilton Reis Junior; Amanda Everton and Maeleide Moraes Lopes (Educators)

Dianna Serra and Lyssia Santos (Educational Program Interns)

Edízio Moura (Communication Coordination)

Aiara Dália (Communication Assistance)

Nat Maciel (Production Coordination)

Fabio Pinheiro; Luty Barteix; Mayara Sucupira; Pablo Adriano Silva Santos and Samara Regina (Producers)

Ana Beatris Silva (Financial Coordination — In Account)

Tayane Inojosa (Financial)

Ana Célia Freitas Santos (Administrative)

Isabella Alves (Administrative Intern)

Adiel Lopes and Jaqueline Ponçadilha (Reception)

Fábio Rabelo; Kaciane Costa Marques and Luzineth Nascimento Rodrigues (Janitorial Office)

Yves Motta (General Maintenance Supervision); Francivaldo Santos and Jozenilson Leal (Maintenance)

Charles Rodrigues; Izaías Souza Silva; Raimundo Bastos and Raimundo Vilaça (Security)

ORIGINS OF THE WORLD | WAURÁ

Curatorship

Gabriel Gutierrez

Artistic Coordination

Deyla Rabelo

Gabriel Gutierrez

Expography

Gabriel Gutierrez

Texts

Gabriel Gutierrez

Piratá Wauja

Review

Edízio Moura

Lighting

Karine Spuri

Photographs

Piratá Wauja

Executive Production

Maria Silvestre, Marcelo Comparini (MC²)

production

Fábio Pinheiro

Luty Barteix

Mayara Sucupira

Nat Maciel

Pablo Adriano

Samara Regina

montage

Diones Caldas

Fábio Nunes Pereira

Marlyson Nunes

Rafael Vasconcelos

CENOTECHNICS

Painting

Daniel Almeida

Francivaldo Santos

Luciano Santos

Electric

Jozenilson Leal

joinery

Edson Diniz Moraes

José de Ribamar Pereira da Silva

Wilson Silva

Locksmitheria

José de Souza Cantanhede