Fundação Nacional do Ãndio
The Fundação Nacional do Índio (abbreviated FUNAI or Funai; German National Foundation of Indigenous ) is a Brazilian authority to protect the indigenous population of the country. It has its seat in Brasília and is subordinate to the Ministry of Justice. FUNAI is divided into several departments, for example, deal specifically with the needs of uncontacted peoples.
FUNAI is to ensure compliance with the rights of indigenous peoples of Brazil by the Constitution and the Brazilian Indian Statute.
History
Founded FUNAI's predecessor organization in 1910 by the Brazilian adventurers Cândido Rondon as Serviço de Proteção ao Índio (abbreviated SPI; German protection service to the Indians ). Rondon was also the first chairman of SPI, 1930 he put this office as a result of a revolution that brought Getúlio Dornelles Vargas to power down. In 1952 he took on this function again and had the idea to establish a national park to protect the indigenous population. 1961 this vision was finally implemented by the brothers Villas Boas; along the Rio Xingu in Mato Grosso was born with the Xingu National Park the first national park in Brazil.
Despite the ideals of its founder Rondon, SPI fell by allegations of corruption and lack of health care for the indigenous population over the years more and more criticism. The commissioned in the 1960s by the Ministry of the Interior of Brazil Figueiredo report, finally, accused SPI failure to protect the indigenous population and the contributory negligence of atrocities against the Indians. So reported the mirror 1968 that members of the SPI tortured and exterminated whole tribes, such as arsenic -soaked sweets, in order to reach their land.
1967 came in the course of this re-open under the name of FUNAI. The Authority followed up in the late 80s a policy of integration and assimilation of indigenous peoples, which later gave way to a growing policy of self-determination of indigenous peoples. Even today, the authority of indigenous peoples is sometimes viewed critically, as they work very bureaucratic and time again staff is appointed, which has openly opposed the rights of indigenous peoples.