João Paes Loureiro's Poetics of the Amazonian Imaginary

João Paes Loureiro, born in 1939 in Abaetetuba, Pará, is a poet, writer, and professor whose work investigates Amazonian culture through a concept he calls 'dibubuismo.' This term describes a harmonious, intelligent coexistence with nature, exemplified by a canoeist hitching a ride on a floating island. His academic journey includes studies at the Federal University of Pará, a master's from PUC Campinas, and a doctorate in Sociology of Culture from the Sorbonne in Paris in 1990. Imprisoned from 1964 to 1970 for political activism against Brazil's military dictatorship, he later served as Secretary of Culture for Pará and founded the Instituto de Artes do Pará. His 2015 book 'Cultura Amazônica – Uma poética do imaginário,' published by Editora Valer, argues against the application of European theoretical matrices to understand the region. Loureiro critiques the labeling of indigenous and riverside culture as mere 'folklore,' asserting it is a legitimate popular culture with its own thought and reflection. His research focuses on the semiotic conversion of objects and spaces, examining how they acquire symbolic meaning beyond their utilitarian functions. He emphasizes that the Amazonian imaginary is a social fact, shared in streets and daily life, not just an indigenous issue but profoundly riverside. Loureiro advocates for educational systems to incorporate Amazonian studies, generated by people with belonging to the place.