New Ideas of Music Ownership & the Musical Life of the Kïsêdjê

The introduction of ideas taken from international intellectual property regimes to communities of indigenous peoples can lead to serious repercussions. This presentation discusses some of the results of the arrival new ideas and language about music and ceremonial ownership on central aspects of the musical, artistic, and economic life of a group of Brazilian Indians known in the literature as the Suyá, but who now prefer to be called Kïsêdjê. It examines shifts in language and concepts related to performing the music of others and the impact of these on their musical performances, body paint, and material culture based on data collected since 1971, recent publications by Brazilian scholars, and discussions on e-mail using a linguist intermediary.

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