Cerrado fires in Xerente indigenous lands (Tocantins): opinion research in indigenous community

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate the knowledge aspects of fire in the Cerrado by the indigenous people of the Xerente indigenous land (Tocantins). In all, 28 villages were visited and 32 answers were obtained by forms, and they were subjected to factor and descriptive analysis. The villages visited can be characterized by having agricultural production, using fire and recognizing the importance of courses in the area. In one of the analysis, the answers to 12 questions were divided into five groups and in another, three groups were formed based on the answers to eight questions. One of the relationships observed was that 56% of respondents reported having knowledge of fire prevention and fighting courses, but the courses are not in accordance with their needs. Another positive relationship observed was about the knowledge of the concept of controlled burning, the division of the property for burning, places that should not be burned and traditional uses of fire. It was possible to verify that the indigenous people of the region use fire for different purposes and that the resulting damages from inappropriate use it is seen in the environment or in economic production and not directly in humans.