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Description

Sitting male figure, hand made from greyish white clay, has painted black tattoo designs on face, arms, legs and across his chest, and long black hair. He holds a large shallow bowl in his lap in which lies a flat, oblong black and beige striped object.

Cultural Context

When the various Iny groups were first contacted by Europeans in the 18th century their total population was estimated to be around 9,000. Persecution and slavery led to a precipitous decline, and by the early 20th century less than 600 individuals were left, facing possible extinction. As part of the “developmental” policies of successive Brazilian governments, their lands were occupied by cattle grazers and industrial farmers, and their rivers exploited for commercial fishing. But against the odds the Iny have prospered, and by 2014 their population had rebounded to about 4,000 people.

Iconographic Meaning

This figure is in a modern style (with full arms clearly moulded) and represents an adult married woman in a social situation, probably preparing fish.

Specific Techniques

Black pigment is created by mixing jenipapo fruit (Genipa americana) with coal, and red from the seeds of the shrub urucum (Bixa orellana).

History Of Use

The Iny (formerly known as Karaja) are known for their ceramics. Only elder women make the ritxoko clay dolls, which are now an important source of income as well as a source of subjective and symbolic inspiration to redress wounds of violent colonial occupation. Iny society is organized around extended families of three or four generations. There is a deep divide between male and female practices. As they approach puberty, young girls are offered a set of ritxoko clay dolls to play with. These represent a family and include both boys and girls of various ages. Contemporary production includes both modern and older styles. The modern style is more realistic while the old style is less complex technically, with the arms placed close to the body in female figures, for instance, and signified only by shoulders in male figures. Both old and modern painting styles are highly conventional and replicate the complex body painting the Iny use to signify status from cradle to grave. The "ritxòkò" dolls were declared intangible cultural heritage of Brazil in 2012.