Abstract
The famous Quarup - a great mortuary ritual carried out by the peoples of the Upper Xingu in honour of deceased chiefs - has been increasingly seen by Xinguanos as an appropriate occasion to welcome white visitors, in order to obtain material resources, create political alliances, and call the media´s attention to indigenous issues. Based on the description of some of the mortuary rituals held in the last few years, this paper discusses how the objectification of rituals as "culture" to non-Indians puts in motion political processes at local, regional and national scales. The article intends to understand how rituals have become a hinge between the white world and indigenous ritual politics, and how this may affect Xinguano forms of producing persons and collectives. Finally, I expect to clarify some aspects of Xinguano ideas on chieftaincy and the concept of "owner".
Key words:
Ethnology; Amerindian politics; Ritual; Gift; Upper Xingu