Denmark Returns Sacred Indigenous Cloak to Brazil After 335 Years

The Tupinambá people celebrate the repatriation of a ceremonial cloak taken during the colonial period, marking a significant cultural and symbolic homecoming.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Indigenous leaders attended a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro to celebrate the cloak's return.
The cloak, made of 4,000 scarlet ibis feathers, was taken from Brazil during the Portuguese colonial period and displayed in Copenhagen since 1689.
Approximately 200 Tupinambá people traveled from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro to witness the cloak's return and perform traditional rituals.
The cloak's return highlights ongoing issues around the recognition of Indigenous lands and rights in Brazil, with the Tupinambá people still awaiting formal demarcation of their territory.
The return of the cloak is seen as a beacon of hope and a symbol of cultural identity and resilience for the Tupinambá people.