Prácticas religiosas y conflictos culturales en las comunidades de
Umariaçu I y II Tabatinga-AM, Brazil
J. Law Epistemic Stud. (January - June 2026) 4: e159
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18317346
ISSN 3091-1575
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Religious Practices and Cultural Conflicts in the Indigenous
Communities of Umariaçu I and II, Tabatinga-AM, Brazil
Valdenizio Leão-Santana
vallionbio@hotmail.com
SEDUC-Amazona. Brasil
Received: 01 December 2025 / Accepted: 02 February 2026 / Published online: 27 February 2026
© The Author(s) 2026
Valdenizio Leão-Santana
1
·
Anayansi Albert-Rodríguez
2
·
Naymi Madrigal-González
2
Abstract The objective was to analyze the impact of religious
practices on cultural identity and on the generation of cultural con-
icts in the Ticuna indigenous communities of Umariaçú I and II,
located in the municipality of Tabatinga, in the state of Amazonas,
Brazil. The research was conducted using a mixed methodological
approach that combined qualitative and quantitative techniques,
including participant observation, structured questionnaires, and
semi-structured interviews, applied to a sample of 170 inhabitants
of dierent ages and genders. The results show a progressive weak-
ening of the traditional cultural practices of the Ticuna people,
particularly ancestral rituals, the intergenerational transmission of
knowledge, and collective festivities. This process is closely asso-
ciated with the expansion of Christian religious institutions, espe-
cially Evangelical and Catholic denominations, whose discourses
and norms tend to restrict participation in traditional rites. Such
restrictions have generated identity tensions and intergenerational
conicts within the communities, with greater incidence among the
younger population. It is concluded that the predominance of an
externally imposed religiosity, rather than a respectful intercultural
dialogue, has contributed to processes of cultural displacement and
identity fragmentation. The ndings highlight the need to strength-
en intercultural educational strategies and public policies aimed at
protecting indigenous cultural autonomy and promoting the coex-
istence of religious diversity without undermining ancestral tradi-
tions.
Keywords religiosity, indigenous culture, cultural conict, iden-
tity, globalization.
Resumen El objetivo fue analizar el impacto de las prácticas
religiosas en la identidad cultural y en la generación de conictos
culturales en las comunidades indígenas ticuna de Umariaçú I y II,
ubicadas en el municipio de Tabatinga, estado de Amazonas, Bra-
zil. La investigación se desarrolló bajo un enfoque metodológico
mixto, combinando técnicas cualitativas y cuantitativas, entre ellas
la observación participante, cuestionarios estructurados y entrevis-
tas semiestructuradas, aplicadas a una muestra de 170 habitantes
de diferentes edades y géneros. Los resultados evidencian un de-
bilitamiento progresivo de las prácticas culturales tradicionales del
pueblo ticuna, especialmente de los rituales ancestrales, la trans-
misión intergeneracional de saberes y las festividades colectivas.
Este proceso se encuentra estrechamente asociado a la expansión
de instituciones religiosas cristianas, en particular denominaciones
evangélicas y católicas, cuyos discursos y normas suelen restringir
la participación en ritos tradicionales. Tales restricciones han gene-
rado tensiones identitarias y conictos intergeneracionales dentro
de las comunidades, con mayor incidencia en la población joven.
Se concluye que la predominancia de una religiosidad impues-
ta externamente, más que un diálogo intercultural respetuoso, ha
contribuido a procesos de desplazamiento cultural y fragmentación
identitaria. Los hallazgos resaltan la necesidad de fortalecer estra-
tegias educativas interculturales y políticas públicas orientadas a la
protección de la autonomía cultural indígena y a la convivencia de
la diversidad religiosa sin menoscabo de las tradiciones ancestrales.
Palabras clave religiosidad, cultura indígena, conicto cultural,
identidad, globalización.
How to cite
Leão-Santana, V., Albert-Rodríguez, A., & Madrigal-González, N. (2026). Religious Practices and Cultural Conicts in the Indigenous Communities of
Umariaçu I and II, Tabatinga-AM. Journal of Law and Epistemic Studies, 4
, e159. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18317346
1
SEDUC-Amazona. Brasil.
2
Centro Universitario Municipal Trinidad. Universidad de Santi
Spiritus. Cuba.
J. Law Epistemic Stud. (January - June) 4: e159
14
Introduction
Current society is immersed in the defense of culture, in
response to the process of globalization originating from
hegemonic centers of power, which threatens the identities
of peoples. This situation demands a humanistic education
expressed through a sense of belonging rooted in the local
context (Silverio & Gómez, 2019).
The study of cultural identity, beliefs, and religion among
the inhabitants of indigenous communities is closely related
to religious systems and is deeply shaped by culture. In this
sense, material aspects are analyzed, encompassing elements
ranging from sacred images to religious temples. However, it
is also essential to consider the spiritual dimension in order
to understand the meanings attributed to the social changes
currently experienced by these communities. This research
draws on theories of identity, worldview, belief systems, and
religion from a cultural perspective (Pasache, 2023).
Analyses of local history play a fundamental role in recov-
ering knowledge of past events, whether in their entirety or
by specic sectors, allowing for a deeper understanding of
local realities (Berríos & Tessada, 2023). Likewise, Ibarra et
al. (2023) highlight the importance of understanding the his-
tory of a community or region in order to explore signicant
aspects of its past.
The Brazilian Amazon is home to the largest population of
Ticuna indigenous people. Their history has been marked by
violent invasions carried out by shermen, rubber tappers,
and loggers in the Alto Solimões region. It was only in the
1990s that these indigenous peoples obtained ocial recog-
nition of the vast majority of their territories. Currently, they
face the challenge of ensuring environmental and economic
sustainability while maintaining the quality of their relation-
ships with surrounding society and preserving their rich his-
torical and cultural heritage.
The Umariaçú community is an indigenous settlement lo-
cated in the rural area of the municipality of Tabatinga, Am-
azonas. The Ticuna nation is considered one of the largest
indigenous populations in Brazil and is characterized by an
isolated language in linguistic classication, spoken by prac-
tically all of its members.
The present research aims to investigate how religiosity
inuences the loss of culture and identity in the Umariaçú
I and II communities of the municipality of Tabatinga-AM.
The study is guided by the following research question: How
has the expansion of Christian religions in the Ticuna com-
munities of Umariaçú I and II generated cultural and identity
conicts that aect the transmission of ancestral knowledge?
Recent scientic literature has emphasized that the ex-
pansion of Christian religions in indigenous territories has
produced profound transformations in cultural identity and
social organization. Empirical studies conducted in Bra-
zil demonstrate that evangelical conversion processes fre-
quently operate as mechanisms of cultural reconguration,
promoting the abandonment of ancestral rituals and rede-
ning collective norms and values (Sousa dos Santos et al.,
2025). These dynamics generate identity conicts, particu-
larly among younger generations, who experience tension
between religious belonging and cultural continuity. The
imposition of external religious frameworks often disrupts
traditional systems of meaning, weakening intergeneration-
al transmission of knowledge and contributing to processes
of symbolic displacement within indigenous communities
(Sousa dos Santos et al., 2025).
From a critical perspective, recent studies argue that con-
temporary evangelization in indigenous contexts reproduces
historical patterns of cultural domination rooted in colonial
logic. Research focusing on Amazonian indigenous groups
reveals that religious conversion is frequently accompanied
by the stigmatization of traditional spiritual practices, which
are framed as incompatible with Christian doctrine (Oliveira
Sousa, Rocha da Silva, & Rodrigues Machado, 2025). This
process intensies internal community conicts and under-
mines indigenous autonomy over cultural reproduction. Ac-
cording to Silva de Carvalho, Oliveira da Cunha, and Souto
Maior (2025), the persistence of these dynamics evidences
that religious expansion continues to function as a powerful
vector of cultural transformation, reinforcing identity frag-
mentation rather than promoting intercultural coexistence.
Methodology
The Umariaçú community is an indigenous settlement lo-
cated in the rural area of the municipality of Tabatinga, in the
Alto Rio Solimões region, Amazonas, Brazil. The Ticuna na-
tion is considered one of the largest indigenous populations
in the country and is characterized by an isolated language
in linguistic classication, spoken by the vast majority of its
members. This linguistic and cultural continuity represents
a key element for understanding identity construction and
cultural transmission within the community.
The community is divided into two areas, Umariaçú I and
Umariaçú II. According to data from the Special Secretariat
for Indigenous Health (SESAI), in 2018 Umariaçú I had an
estimated population of approximately 8,400 inhabitants,
while Umariaçú II had around 5,600 inhabitants. Each area
has a base center of the Alto Rio Solimões Special Indige-
nous Health District (DSEI), linked to the Special Secretariat
for Indigenous Health of the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
In terms of educational infrastructure, Umariaçú I has one
municipal indigenous school, while Umariaçú II has four
schools at the state and municipal levels.
This research adopted a mixed-methods approach, com-
bining qualitative and quantitative techniques, which is par-
J. Law Epistemic Stud. (January - June) 4: e159
15
ticularly appropriate for the study of complex sociocultural
phenomena such as religiosity, identity, and cultural con-
ict in indigenous contexts (Creswell & Plano, 2024). Data
collection instruments included participant observation,
structured questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews.
Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical
methods based on percentage analysis, while qualitative data
were examined through interpretative analysis of narratives
and observed practices.
Data were collected directly from community residents
through eldwork, preceded by preliminary observations
aimed at familiarization with the social, cultural, and reli-
gious dynamics of the research setting. The sample consisted
of 170 participants, including teachers, young people, and
adults of both sexes, of whom 96 were men and 74 were
women. Participants were selected through non-probabilis-
tic, intentional sampling, considering their availability and
involvement in community, educational, and religious acti-
vities, a strategy commonly used in indigenous and commu-
nity-based research (Smith, 2024).
The questionnaires and interviews were designed to explo-
re perceptions regarding religious aliation, participation in
cultural practices, and the transmission of ancestral knowle-
dge. Ethical principles were observed throughout the re-
search process, including informed consent, condentiality
of information, and respect for cultural norms, in accordance
with contemporary guidelines for research with indigenous
peoples (United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues, 2024).
Results and discussion
The empirical ndings reveal profound sociocultural
transformations within the Ticuna indigenous communi-
ties of Umariaçú I and II, shaped by generational dynam-
ics, religious aliation, and the transmission of ancestral
knowledge. These transformations are not isolated but are
embedded in broader processes of cultural reconguration
associated with contemporary forms of religious expansion
in indigenous territories.
Figure 1 presents the age distribution of participants,
showing that 65.4% are between 15 and 20 years old, 18.2%
between 21 and 35, and 16.4% over 36 years of age. The pre-
dominance of young respondents is particularly signicant,
as youth represent a critical stage for identity construction
and cultural continuity. Recent studies emphasize that in-
digenous youth often experience heightened identity tension
due to the coexistence of ancestral worldviews and external-
ly imposed religious and educational frameworks (Mignolo
& Walsh, 2023; Walsh, 2023). In this context, identity is con-
tinuously negotiated rather than inherited linearly, making
younger generations especially vulnerable to processes of
cultural displacement.
Figure 1. Age of the interviewees
Regarding educational attainment (Figure 2), 57.2% of re-
spondents completed secondary education, 29.5% basic edu-
cation, and 13.3% higher education. While access to formal
education is a key factor for social inclusion, recent deco-
lonial research highlights that dominant educational models
frequently marginalize indigenous epistemologies by privi-
leging Western-Christian knowledge systems (Walsh, 2023).
This tension contributes to the weakening of oral transmis-
sion practices that have historically sustained Ticuna cultural
identity.
Figure 2. Level of education
Concerning territorial distribution, 24% of respondents
belonged to Umariaçú I and 76% to Umariaçú II. This im-
balance reects the concentration of educational institutions
and social services in Umariaçú II, which increases expo-
sure to external religious agents. Such spatial dynamics are
consistent with ndings indicating that institutional density
often correlates with greater cultural intervention and nor-
mative inuence in indigenous territories (Quijano & Gó-
J. Law Epistemic Stud. (January - June) 4: e159
16
mez-Muller, 2022).
Figure 3 shows religious aliation, indicating that 44.5%
of respondents belong to the Order of the Crusaders (OC-
CAE), 36.3% identify as Evangelical, 16.2% as Catholic,
and 3% did not respond. These data conrm the strong pres-
ence of Christian religiosity within the communities. Field
observations identied ten churches across Umariaçú I and
II, exceeding the number of educational institutions, partic-
ularly in Umariaçú I. Recent empirical research in the Bra-
zilian Amazon demonstrates that the spatial and symbolic
predominance of churches reinforces their role as agents of
moral regulation and cultural normalization (Sousa dos San-
tos et al., 2025; Oliveira et al., 2025).
Figure 3. Religious aliation.
Although many religious leaders are themselves Ticuna,
the doctrinal frameworks they promote are largely based
on external religious epistemologies that frequently conict
with indigenous cosmologies. Contemporary studies argue
that this internalization of externally imposed belief systems
contributes to symbolic domination by reshaping cultural
meanings from within the community itself (Quijano & Gó-
mez-Muller, 2022).
Figure 4 illustrates the frequency of cultural events within
the communities. While 64.7% of respondents reported that
such events are held, 25.3% indicated they occur only occa-
sionally, and 7.5% stated that they do not take place. This
decline in regular cultural festivities signals a weakening of
collective practices that traditionally function as spaces for
socialization, non-formal education, and intergenerational
knowledge transmission. Recent literature emphasizes that
the erosion of ritual practices is a key indicator of cultural
fragilization in indigenous contexts aected by religious ex-
pansion (Oliveira et al., 2025).
Figure 4. Cultural Events Held in the Community
When asked whether they transmit cultural traditions to
their children, only 45% responded armatively, while 13%
stated they do not, 12% reported doing so occasionally, and
30% did not respond. This high rate of non-response may
reect uncertainty or internalized stigma toward traditional
practices. Recent studies suggest that religious discourses
that frame ancestral rituals as incompatible with Christian
morality contribute to the silencing of cultural transmission
within families (Sousa dos Santos et al., 2025).
Similarly, 65% of respondents acknowledged receiving
ancestral knowledge from their parents, while 18% denied
such transmission and 14% reported it occurs sporadically.
These ndings point to an emerging intergenerational rup-
ture, particularly aecting younger members of the commu-
nity. As noted by Walsh (2023), the gradual devaluation of
indigenous epistemologies often leads to epistemic subordi-
nation, undermining cultural continuity without the need for
explicit coercion.
One of the most critical ndings is presented in Figure 5,
where 69.2% of respondents stated that their religion pro-
hibits the transmission of their culture. This result highlights
the regulatory role of religious norms over cultural practices.
Although Brazilian constitutional law guarantees indigenous
peoples the right to maintain their customs and traditions,
recent research demonstrates that such rights are frequently
undermined by informal religious governance structures op-
erating within communities (Pereira & Moraes, 2025).
Figure 6 addresses perceptions of the role of churches
within the community. While 57.5% of respondents viewed
the church’s role positively—often citing moral guidance
and restrictions on alcohol consumption—32.8% perceived
it negatively due to limitations on participation in traditional
rituals such as the Rito da Moça Nova. This ambivalence
J. Law Epistemic Stud. (January - June) 4: e159
17
reects a complex negotiation between perceived social ben-
ets and cultural loss. Contemporary studies argue that this
duality is characteristic of religious pluralism in indigenous
contexts, where coexistence often masks asymmetrical pow-
er relations rather than fostering genuine intercultural dia-
logue (Campusano, 2024).
Figure 5. Their Religion Prohibits the Transmission of Their
Culture
Figure 6. Do churches have a positive or negative role in the
indigenous community?
Overall, the results indicate that the expansion of Chris-
tian religiosity in the Ticuna communities of Umariaçú I
and II has contributed to processes of cultural recongura-
tion marked by identity tension, intergenerational conict,
and symbolic displacement. Rather than promoting cultural
coexistence, religious expansion has frequently reinforced
colonial patterns of cultural domination, emphasizing con-
version over dialogue. These ndings reinforce recent calls
for the implementation of intercultural public policies and
educational strategies that recognize indigenous epistemol-
ogies, protect cultural autonomy, and promote respectful
engagement between religious diversity and ancestral tra-
ditions (Walsh, 2023; United Nations Permanent Forum on
Indigenous Issues, 2024)
Conclusions
The ndings demonstrate that the expansion of Christian
religiosity in the Ticuna communities of Umariaçú I and
II has played a decisive role in reshaping cultural identi-
ties, weakening intergenerational transmission of ances-
tral knowledge, and generating persistent identity tensions,
particularly among younger generations. While religious
institutions are perceived by some community members as
sources of moral guidance and social order, their normative
frameworks frequently restrict traditional rituals and cultural
practices, contributing to symbolic displacement and cultu-
ral fragmentation. These dynamics reveal that religious co-
existence has not occurred under conditions of intercultural
equality, but rather through asymmetrical power relations
that reproduce colonial patterns of cultural domination. The
study underscores the urgency of implementing intercultural
public policies and educational strategies that recognize and
value indigenous epistemologies, protect cultural autonomy,
and promote respectful dialogue between religious diversity
and ancestral traditions, as essential conditions for safeguar-
ding cultural continuity and social cohesion in indigenous
territories.
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Conicts of interest
The authors declare that they have no conicts of interest.
Author contributions
Valdenizio Leão-Santana, Anayansi Albert-Rodríguez &
Naymi Madrigal-González: Conceptualization, data cura-
tion, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, supervi-
sion, validation, visualization, drafting the original manus-
cript and writing, review, and editing.
Data availability statement
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study
are available from the corresponding author on reasonable
request.
Statement on the use of AI
The authors acknowledge the use of generative AI and
AI-assisted technologies to improve the readability and cla-
rity of the article.
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