Abstract

The Karaja Indians of Brazil have manufactured figurines for the tourist market since the late 1950s. Drawing on earlier traditional contexts of artistic production, the figurines are now produced almost exclusively for the tourist market. This paper traces the shifting meanings associated with Karaja figurines, the impact of cultural brokerage in production and on traditional knowledge systems and the general processes associated with the commodification of this unique form of cultural expression. The implications for stylistic interpretation form the basis for the conclusions to this paper.