Darcy Ribeiro was born on Oct. 26, 1922 in Minas Gerais, which is in the center of Brazil. Ribeiro was a politician and an anthropologist. As an anthropologist, he graduated from the Faculty of Sociology and Political Science, in Sao Paulo. He then devoted his time from 1946-1956 to studying the Kadiweu, Guarani, Oti-Xavante, Bororo and Urubu-Kaapor Indians. He also established the Museum of the Indian which is located in Rio de Janeiro and helped to establish the Xingu Indian National Park during this time period. Ribeiro also wrote ethnographies on the aboriginal groups that he studied. Of these, his book about the mythology and art of the Kadiweu is considered the most important. It contains 500 original Kadiweu drawings. One of his articles was made into a film entitled Uira Goes in Search of Maira.
Ribeiro was also Minister of Education and House Chief-of-staff in President Goulart's left-leaning administration from 1961-64. He was Vice-governor of the State of Rio and the Secretary of Culture and Education, first from 1983-86, and again from 1991-94. "He is best known in Brazil as the founder of the Universidade de Brasilia and the Sambodromo, where the Schools of Samba parade during Carnival. His main legacy on education is his program for full-time public schools and the establishment of 500 such schools in Rio de Janeiro." (Anthropology News)
Books by Ribeiro include: Anthropology of Civilization Ribeiro 5 volumes (1968-95), Diarios Indios (1996), The Civilizational Process, Maira, Utopia Selvagem, Migo.
http://www.pdt.org.br/dribeiro.htm
Anthropology News Death Notices
Written by Students in an Introduction to Anthropology Class, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota
Edited by Marcy L. Voelker, 2007