Levantamento de nomes de animais na língua Terena: Contribuições da etnofauna para a ciência intercultural no Brasi

Abstract

This study aimed to survey the main animal names in the Terena language, contributing to ethnofauna studies and to intercultural science in Brazil, as well as promoting the documentation and appreciation of this traditional knowledge. The research was carried out in the Água Branca village, located in the Taunay/Ipegue indigenous land, in the municipality of Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, through 15 semi-structured interviews with community residents (including elders), aged 35 to 80. As a result, 25 names for birds, 31 for mammals, and 16 for animals from other groups were recorded in the Terena language and, whenever possible, their scientific names. The data reveal the Terena people's extensive knowledge of the fauna of the Pantanal and Cerrado biomes, expressed through a rich vernacular nomenclature orally transmitted across generations. It is concluded that the systematic recording of these names constitutes a relevant tool both for the linguistic and cultural preservation of the Terena people and for the production of bilingual educational materials aimed at indigenous school education.