The other five hundreds: Brazilian history and indigenous ethnology

The celebrations-promoted officially or by the opposition-of Brasil's five hundred years show the pecularities of the Brazilian conception as regards the building of their country as well as the role assigned to the Indian po pulation within the same. The Brazilian indigenous policy has always been l inked to founding myths which are brought up to date in the celebrations of 2000. The present forms of the indigenous movement in Brazil are also deep ly linked to those founding myths, though in a controversial way.