Kozák and
the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil

Project

"Kozák and the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil"

 

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The project "Kozák and the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil" aims to dissiminate the life and work of Vladimir Kozák, seeking to stimulate reflection and debate on the culture and rights of indigenous peoples in Brazil, encouraging respect for their territories and the preservation of the environment and nature.

 

Under the coordination of the Cultural Producer, Poet and Broadcaster, Marcelo Miguel, the work began in 2008, through an extensive study and research of the Vladimir kozák collection that is under the custody of the Paranaense Museum in Curitiba/PR . In parallel with the research work, in recent years trips and fieldwork were carried out in several indigenous villages and cities where Vladimir Kozák developed his work throughout his life.

 

In addition to the production of this website, this project presents as products resulting from this work the production of films, videos and books that present the life and work of Vladimir Kozák and the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil.

100 years in Brazil

May 4, 2024 will mark the centenary of Vladimir Kozák's arrival in Brazil. Throughout his life, Kozák developed a relevant work of research and documentation of several indigenous peoples in Brazilian territory. They are records made in different media, which reveal great technical knowledge and artistic ability.

 

His work involves the production of 16 mm films, color photographs, black and white photos, drawings and paintings in pastels, watercolors and also using the oil on canvas technique.

Kozák also documented important moments of popular cultures in Paraná and Brazil, as well as portraying the local flora and fauna.

 

Among his works stand out the paintings of the landscape of Sea Mountains of Paraná and Espirito Santo, the daily life of Salvador and the botanical illustrations of orchids and bromeliads from these biomes. These works of art, together with the preliminary studies carried out, constitute research material for different areas of knowledge, such as: plastic arts, botany and ecology.

 

The panel above was painted by the famous Czech artist Zdeněk Burian, featuring Vladimir Kozák and his sister Karla Kozáková on one of their numerous trips and adventures to the Upper Xingu region in Brazil. This painting is now displayed in the entrance hall of the City Hall of Bystřice pod Hostýnem, hometown of Vladimir Kozák, located in the Zlin region, south of Moravia, a territory currently belonging to the Czech Republic.

Kozak
and the Indians of Brazil

 

 

Throughout his life Vladimir Kozák filmed and recorded 19 different peoples.

 

Indigenous Peoples visited and registered by Vladimir Kozák:

 

In Paraná: Kaingang and Xetá

In Santa Catarina: Xokleng

In Mato Grosso do Sul: Guarani (Guarani Kaiowá)

In Mato Grosso: Bororo Oriental, Kamaiurá, Kalapalo, Kuikuro, Mehinako, Trumai, Xavante, Waujá, Yawalapiti

In Tocantins: Karajá, Xerente and Tapirapé

In Pará:  Gavião (Gavião Parkatêgê), Kayapó (Kayapó Kuben-Kran-Krên)

In Maranhão: Ka'apor

 

In addition to the native peoples, Kozák also filmed and photographed, between 1930 and 1950, various manifestations of popular cultures and the so-called natural cultural heritage, such as the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the Lavagem da Escadaria de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim in Salvador (1932) , the Congada da Lapa/PR, the Carnival of Paranaguá/PR, the Cavalhadas in Guarapuava/PR, The Falls of Foz do Iguaçu (1946), the Pantanal Matogressense, Vila Velha in Ponta Grossa/PR, the Sea Mountains of Paraná, Morretes/PR and its mills, the colony of the so-called White Russians in the interior of Paraná, the Italian communities of Santa Felicidade and Colombo, the cutting and transport of wood in western of Paraná, handcrafted ceramics of Senhorinha Romão da Costa de Guaraqueçaba, the daily life of fishermen on the coast of Paraná, among many other records and images.

 

Some of the films and images produced by Vladimir Kozák are the first existing images or at least the first color images in many of these records

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At the Museu Paranaense in Curitiba, we found more than 40 thousand items in Vladimir Kozák's collection, including films, photos, negatives, canvases, drawings and other documents.

 

The images above and below belong to the collection of the Museu Paranaense / SEEC - Government of the State of Paraná

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This site will be updated weekly every Wednesday, presenting information and news about the life and work of Vladimir Kozák, the actions and activities of the project "Kozák e os Povos Índigenas do Brasil", besides also bringing texts and information about the related to the native peoples of Brazil.