Academic production in the field of Indigenous Formal Education: A tribute to Marilda Cavalcanti

ABSTRACT Indigenous Formal Education in Brazil has benefited from academic production derived from different fields of knowledge. Our aim in this paper is to reflect upon theoretical assumptions that have served as foundation for research projects developed in the area of Applied Linguistics. We start this article presenting a brief history of Indigenous Formal Education in our country, followed by Marilda Cavalcanti’s activities that have shown to be fundamental for the inclusion of this area, particularly in what Indigenous teachers’ education is concerned, as object of investigation in Applied Linguistics. After focusing on public policies and courses geared towards this type of teacher education, we then describe and discuss some of the theoretical framework that has worked as basis for investigation projects put forward by members of the research group “Vozes na Escola”, focusing primarily on the concepts of interculturality and of ethnic and linguistic identity. We close this paper expressing our concerns about the ways public policies destined to Indigenous Peoples have been lately conducted in the country.