The blue-and-yellow macaw is one of the most emblematic species of the Brazilian cerrado and holds significant importance for many Indigenous communities. Its geographic range extends from Central America to Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Beyond its cultural role, the macaw plays a crucial part in the interspecific interactions of its habitat. Its feeding habits facilitate the dispersal of seeds from various plant species. Some of these seeds are enclosed in very tough shells, which only the macaw’s powerful beak can crack open. The partially eaten fruits then fall to the ground, making them accessible to other bird and mammal species that would otherwise be unable to reach them or penetrate the hard shells. Once a pair of these macaws forms, they remain together for life.
These are examples of the animal life of these regions, where the richness and diversity of multiple human cultures, their histories, and their connections with Nature can also be explored.
Reflecting the exotic nature of one of the most important ethnographic collections of the eighteenth century, we highlight two artefacts collected by Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira, a disciple of Vandelli, the founding director of the Museum in 1772.
During the so-called Viagem Philosophica ao Brasil (1783–1792), Ferreira and his entourage travelled through the captaincies of Pará, Rio Negro, Mato Grosso, and Cuiabá.