Vexoá: indigenous women in the political field, (de)constructing history and strengthening identity as a Terena woman

Abstract

The article, linked to the research line Cultural Diversity and Indigenous Education at UCDB, addresses the participation of Terena women in politics, a space once dominated by men and now also occupied by them. It is based on Indigenous authors, critical interculturality, and modernity/coloniality, highlighting the struggle and permanence of Indigenous women in politics. The objective is to analyze Terena women’s participation in campaign decision-making, their challenges, and trajectories until achieving a central role in defending Indigenous rights. The qualitative research uses bibliographic review, autoethnography, photographs, and interviews, drawing on the author’s experience as an Indigenous woman, researcher, and teacher, evidencing the continuity of predecessors' struggle and female protagonism in resistance.