Macunaíma in palimpsests

The recovery of the myth and tensions of the novel in contemporary narratives

Abstract

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the publication of Macunaíma, by Mário de Andrade, the release of two works tensions the novel while paying homage to it: the play Makunaimã: o mito através do tempo (Makunaimã: the myth through time) and the documentary Por onde anda Makunaíma? (Where is Makunaíma?). These works point to a certain appropriation and desacralization of the Makunaima myth in Andrade's work, while recognizing the importance of the modernist writer's book. Based on the idea of palimpsest, we analyze the play and the film, as well as Denilson Baniwa's ReAntropofagia, to consider different layers and overlaps between the novel, indigenous myths, anthropological studies, and their adaptations. In this way, we aim to reveal the impact of Mário de Andrade's novel on indigenous peoples and reflect on the colonialist nature of the desacralization of their stories. This desacralization leads to processes of continuous transformation and updating of the myth and figure of Makunaima in various historical and media contexts.