In this episode, we are going on an Amazon cruise to discover the truth behind a mask that my family bought in 1996. We travel to Pará and talk to an anthropologist about the Brazilian indigenous mask. Eventually, we find someone from the indigenous Mebêngôkre community and hear their explanation of the mask resembling a monkey.
Thank you to Ben Hess and everyone in my family who filled in the details about this cruise 26 years ago.
Thank you to Claudia Lopez from the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi in Belém, Pará.
Finally, thank you very much, Mydjere Kayapó-Mekrangnoti, for sharing the stories about the mask, the ceremony and your community.
Episode written and translated by Thatcher Warrick Hess, Alessandra Medina, Aliane Miranda and Saylon Sousa.
Episode edited by Thatcher Warrick Hess and Saylon Sousa at the Radio Laboratory at UFMA.
Thank you to the voice-over support by: Shannon Warrick and Franklin Hagarty.
Theme song for Object Obscura is ‘Bateria Brasileira’ by Redeemin’.
Thanks to Epidemic Sound, YouTube Music Library, KA•YA•PÓ by Povo Kayapó and Vincent Moon and Anchor.fm for most of the music, SFX and distribution. Music in order of appearance: Tau by Osoku, Bateria Brasileira by Redeemin’, Lady In Black by Farrell Wooten, Suspended by Farrel Wooten, Monkey Madness by Mike Franklyn, Excavation at the Amazon by Tracce Way, °palaa° by Povo Kayapó, Make No Mistakes by Bonnie Grace, Fresh Cheer by View Points, Native Heat by Edward Karl Hanson, °yem—ohkw-oto—korê° by Povo Kayapó, Struggle In the Jungle by Kikoru, °waliluū° by Povo Kayapó, Dark Woods by Phoenix Trail, Eternity by Anthony Earls, New Light by Ave Air, °han+° by Povo Kayapó, °tamakië° by Povo Kayapó and Paradigm Shift by Gavin Luke.
SFX and Archival credits:
1.) https://vimeo.com/240306074 → POVO KAYAPÓ by Híbridos, Spirits of Brazil and Vincent Moon
Other links to support the Amazon Rainforest and Mebêngôkre territory:
Instituto Kabu → https://www.kabu.org.br/a-cultura/
Conservation International → https://www.conservation.org/All pictures of this episode’s object are on Facebook @objectobscurapodcast, Instagram @object.obscura and Twitter @objectobscura. Go to our website and look at the episode gallery as well → object-obscura.com