Worlding a Mbya-Guarani heritage: from dissonant heritage to ontological conflicts

Ontological conflicts arise when the Mbya-Guarani's indigenous narrative of the Jesuit missions clashes with modern heritage frameworks, revealing deep-seated discrepancies in worldviews. The study highlights how the recognition of 'Tava, Place of Reference for the Guarani People' as intangible cultural heritage reflects a dissonant but strategic appropriation of modernity’s tools by the Mbya-Guarani to counter discrimination and affirm their identity. However, this process overlooks the Guaranis' alternative ontology, which prioritizes relational care—building beautiful bodies and social bonds through land-based wandering guided by divine precepts. The research advocates for heritage policies that transcend hierarchical ontologies, emphasizing care not just for objects or practices but for the people and worlds they signify.

Lacerda, R. (2021). Worlding a Mbya-Guarani heritage: from dissonant heritage to ontological conflicts. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 27(11), 1133–1148. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2021.1958362