EN: Connecting the Dots with ELLEN PIRÁ WASSU (Dubbed)

In recent years, we’ve witnessed a remarkable transformation in the landscape of Indigenous literature. Diverse voices, long muted by the constraints of non-Indigenous literary traditions, are now emerging with profound resonance and undeniable urgency. Our understanding of the world we inhabit can no longer overlook the vital contributions of Indigenous worldviews and the lived experiences of authors who embody these identities. As our guest today, Ellen Pirá Wassu, powerfully articulates, Indigenous literature serves as an essential instrument “of resistance and re-enchantment”, a crucial means of postponing the end of the world.Ellen exemplifies this transformative literary movement, weaving together poetry, performance and activism in a practice that honours both the written word and deeper forms of knowing - what she beautifully describes as “river bathing and talking with flowers”. Currently pursuing her doctorate in Comparative Modernities at the University of Minho, Ellen has enriched the literary landscape with two significant works published by Urutau: “ixé ygara voltando pra 'y'kûá” and “yby kûatiara um livro de terra”.We were honoured to engage with Ellen during FOLIO - the Óbidos International Literary Festival, in Portugal, where we also participated in a round table discussion exploring world configurations and the vital role of Indigenous worldviews in imagining possible futures. The conversation we share here extends far beyond conventional literary discourse. It invites us to fundamentally reconsider our relationship with language and the world we inhabit. Ellen will also be participating in "Roots of the Future - A Dialogue with Indigenous Peoples and Allies on Culture, the Environment and Rights”, and event organized by Azimuth World Foundation, taking place on January 11, 2025, in Pavilhão do Conhecimento (Lisbon,. Portugal)..Official website for FOLIO - Obidos International literary Festival: https://foliofestival.com/.WATCH a video version of this interview or READ transcripts in English and Portuguese here: https://azimuthworldfoundation.org/insights/entry/stories/ellenwassu.html .AZIMUTH WORLD FOUNDATION - JOIN THE CONVERSATION:- WEBSITE: https://www.azimuthworldfoundation.org- INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/azimuthworldfoundation- THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@azimuthworldfoundation- FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/azimuthworldfoundation- LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azimuth-world-foundation/