AGENCY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN: AN INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSIS IN PASSARINHO VILLAGE (MIRANDA, MS, BRAZIL)

Abstract

This article analyzes the experiences of Indigenous women from Passarinho Village, located in the municipality of Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, through their participation in the Reconquista Program, an initiative focused on productive inclusion and entrepreneurship. The study is guided by the research problem of understanding how gender, ethnicity, territory, and socioeconomic conditions influence processes of autonomy and leadership among Indigenous women in contexts marked by historical inequalities. The objective is to examine the challenges and opportunities faced by participants in developing economic and social alternatives within their community. Methodologically, this is a qualitative study based on participant observation and field notes produced during the author's work as a facilitator in the Reconquista Program. The theoretical framework draws on the concepts of intersectionality, gender coloniality, subalternity, and community feminism. The findings reveal that participants face challenges related to territorial exclusion, racism, limited access to education, the burden of domestic work, and restricted economic opportunities. At the same time, the study highlights significant forms of agency and resistance expressed through the preservation of traditional knowledge, the strengthening of solidarity networks, and the development of collective productive initiatives. The study concludes that entrepreneurship programs aimed at Indigenous women can only be effective when grounded in respect for culture, territory, self-determination, and the specific forms of social organization of Indigenous communities.