We often talk of the importance of provenance when discussing blockchain & NFTs. A provable mint date on-chain is an indisputable evidence of origin. And where something comes from is paramount to its narrative, which is a large part of what makes things valuable. I’d like you to keep in mind these three elements as you read on. You see, heritage, narrative and value are firmly connected.
Indigenous nations the world over, have provable provenance. First Indigenous people existed long before such called ¨civilization entered in contact with them. The Amazonian tribes’ roots are more than 500 years old. They created monuments, cities, and civilizations prior to the conquistador’s arrival. Their artifacts, drawings, and architecture mark their journey.
But the invaders stripped the original inhabitants’ narratives from them. Native languages were forbidden, old gods and customs changed to suit Christian tastes. Instructions were sent to record keepers to omit the names of the heroes or spiritual guide. Indigenous people exterminated, homes and histories destroyed.
A new narrative took hold, created by the new tenants. One in which the value of Indigenous people was reduced to sub-human. This concept applies to many indigenous aggrupations around the world. Others, where they were second-class citizens with no civil rights.
New policies were introduced by new governments, effectively aimed at removing Indigenous people from the population all together, with a view to claiming land and resources as their own.
But! The value of Indigenous people was only ever removed in the eye of the invader. Never within themselves. Stories, customs, and culture were whispered at first, then danced, and transformed to be passed on from generation to generation. Secret meaning lying in, way of living art, song, and artifact, hidden in plain sight.
Some shunned the modern world. Due to their environment, they were able to carry on as they had for centuries, living in environments uninhabitable by the new arrivals. Their culture would remain amongst themselves, without contact from the outside world.
Over the years these voices grew louder, stronger. Cultural resilience became paramount to survival. As technology advanced, it amplified the voices and cultures of people the world over. Songs were recorded, artworks preserved and displayed. Stories that had been ignored were heard once more.
At first distribution was slow, and very limited. Moving physical items from place to place was expensive and could only reach a small group of people. Then the internet allowed information to be shared anywhere, and these voices and cultures were brought further into the collective consciousness.
And now, we as a global society, find ourselves at a very powerful moment in time. Our technology allows us to do what our hearts could not, for such a long time. We can now combine provenance, narrative and value to anything. We do it to pixelated punks, penguins, and pop art.
So, imagine what happens when indigenous people of the world record their origin stories on-chain and reclaim their narrative. The world will have no choice but to realize the immense value that these families, ancestors and emerging leaders have held onto for generations.
With NFTs we now have a mechanism that exists outside of cultural gatekeepers, to record, preserve, distribute, and enjoy culture from all over the world. There is no barrier to looking at an artwork or hearing a piece of music anymore.
Text: Alex Fitzwater / https://twitter.com/EditorOne
Photos: Ubiratan Surui / https://twitter.com/_surui
Production: MONOGRAMA / https://twitter.com/MONOGRAMA_NFT
“AMAZONIA” take shape as an art exhibition and NFT gallery in augmented reality (AR) that was developed as a collaboration between SUPERWORLD, MONOGRAMA, Patrick Amadon The Paiter Surui and Cinta Larga Tribes. The exhibit incorporates art, music, video, and cultural artifacts from members of the Paiter Surui and Cinta Larga tribes of Western Brazil Amazonia Region.
The exhibition, curated by MONOGRAMA, will take place in two 3D-modeled galleries in AR that have been geo-pinned by the tribes on their respective land in the Amazon rainforest, that anyone around the world will be able to visit from your home in AR through your Mobile Phone. All the Artworks of both galleries will be on sale or for auction as 1 to 1 NFTs on in the SuperWorld NFT Salon. Launch on October 12th 2021.
About MONOGRAMA
Founded in 2021, MONOGRAMA is a Decentralized Autonomous Fair-Trade Organization (DAFTO) and includes global leaders from across the spectrum of the NFT, Cryptoart and DeFi ecosystems. The MONOGRAMA initiative fosters social impact projects around the world with the AMAZONIA project representing its flagship initiative. These projects are self-financed through MONOGRAMA Treasury funded by 30% of Net Sales of all artworks from the community, to learn more, visit Monograma.io
Hervé Delhumeau, Founder and CEO of MONOGRAMA. Hervé has been leading the Business Development, Strategy & Innovation of 🌏 renowned IT Corporations to build social value through technology in emerging countries for the last 25 years.
Lateral Thinker, Esthete, Blockchain Enthusiast & World Citizen. He is now dedicating his life to his family and intent to contribute in generating social impact through Art & Technology bridging physical with digital world.
