MT Indians: The Minister's adopted daughter was taken from a village

The indigenous peoples of the village of Kamayurá, located in the center of the Xingu Indigenous Reserve in northern Mato Grosso, told Epoca that the Minister of Women, Family and Human Rights , Damares Alves, directed Kajutiti Lulu Kamayurá with six years, irregularly of the tribe.

Damares introduced Lulu, now 20, her adoptive daughter, but the adoption was never legalized, as admitted the minister herself in an interview with TV Globo

According to the natives, Lulu would have left the village taken by Márcia Suzuki, the friend and right hand man of Damares, under the pretext of doing dental treatment in town, but would never have returned. Márcia founded, along with Damares, the NGO Atini, whose flag is to save indigenous children from infanticide.

"Márcia came to Kuarup (traditional festival in the honor of the dead), examined all the spoiled teeth [de Lulu] and said that she would take it for treatment," said Mapulu, pajé kamayurá and sister of the cacique

In response to questions from the magazine, the minister stated that the biological family of the adopted daughter goes regularly. When asked why the child had not returned to the village after dental care, Damares replied that Lulu had returned to Xingu for visits.

I cried and Lulu was also crying about leaving her grandmother. Marcia led the way. He said that he was going to send it back, that when he would go on vacation, he would send it here.

"She left the place with her family and never lost contact with her biological parents." The Indians, in turn, say that Lulu's first visit took place only about two years ago. The minister did not consider the question of not having officially adopted the girl.

According to the magazine, to be in accordance with the law, the adoption of an indigenous child must be subject to the control of federal justice and common justice

The adoption, indeed guard or guardianship, also depends on Funai downstream. During the process, a psychosocial study team should check whether there is a connection between the child and the adopter and whether the extended family supports the adoption. In the case of natives, the village must be heard.

The reports of indigenous peoples indicate that the biological mother of the child was not able to look after her and that Piracumã, the uncle of the daughter , had had the idea of ​​leaving her in the custody of her father's grandfather, Tanumakaru

However, the village was suffering from a shortage of food and medicine, and Lulu became malnourished. At the time, it was even piloted by servants who ensured the health of the natives of the region.

She then recovered, but she was found with a twisted dentition for the use of a bottle.

"I cried, and Lulu was also crying to have left her grandmother.Marcia led the way.He said that he was going to send him back, only when he would go on vacation, he would send it here. "Where?", says the grandmother, now almost octogenarian, to Tupi.

When asked if she knew, at the time of departure Lulu, that she would not come back, she replied: "Never."

On several occasions, the minister criticized indigenous customs.In 2013, in a cult, Damares said that besides Lulu , rescued from infanticide and abused by the misery of the Kamayurás, she would be the slave of the people himself.

The Kayayurá reject the accusations of infanticide and ill-treatment made by the minister. "What really suffered, who kept the porr idge, was Grandma Tanumakaru, not Damares I helped get some milk at that time, "said Mapulu.

The natives, however, do not deny having sacrificed children in the past. In the case of Lulu, that is Piracumã, the uncle of the child, who insisted that his mother does not bury the baby. "He used to bury, and today the law has changed."