Berta Ribeiro

Berta Gleizer Ribeiro (born Bertha Gleizer; Bălți, 2 October 1924 – Rio de Janeiro, 17 November 1997) was a Moldovan-Brazilian anthropologist, ethnologist, and museologist known for her extensive work on the material culture of Indigenous peoples of Brazil. She was married to anthropologist and senator Darcy Ribeiro.

Born in Bălți, then part of Romania, Berta and her older sister Genny were left in Eastern Europe after their mother’s suicide, as their father had already migrated to Brazil seeking work opportunities amid the antisemitic persecution faced by Jews in the region. Only with the aid of an international organization were they able to reunite with him in 1932. She developed a newfound passion for the knowledge and practices of indigenous peoples, a personal shift that fueled her contributions across various domains: academic, political, cultural, editorial, and artistic, ultimately establishing her as the foremost expert on indigenous material culture in Brazil during her time.

In 1934, Genny moved to São Paulo in search of work but was arrested as a minor by the São Paulo political police on 15 July 1935 for alleged subversive activities. She was held incommunicado for an extended period, enduring physical and psychological torture, and despite widespread public outcry and protests against her detention, During this period, she started using the name Berta G. Ribeiro, dropping the surname Gleizer, which was not widely known. This change coincided with her concerns about facing a fate similar to that of her family members. On this, Maria Stella Amorim wrote: “From her love for Darcy came her passion for anthropology,” and these journeys continued almost until the end of her life.

Career In 1950, Berta Ribeiro enrolled in a bachelor’s program in Geography and History at the University of the Federal District (UDF) — now Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ). She graduated in 1953 and began teaching Geography of Brazil at Lafayette Institute. examined Indigenous basketry from the Upper Xingu and Upper Rio Negro, analyzing its technological, productive, and aesthetic aspects. as was the Francesca Keller library, which held a vast anthropology collection, completely consumed by the flames. Reconstruction of the Museu Nacional began three years after the fire.

Between 1982 and 1983, she began developing and coordinating the journal Suma Etnológica Brasileira, and in 1984, she took over as general coordinator of its editorial board, with her ex-husband Darcy Ribeiro as editor.

She served as an advisor to the National Indigenous People Foundation (FUNAI) and head of museology at the same institution in 1985, as well as a visiting professor in the master’s program at the School of Fine Arts (EBA). with contributions from Darcy Ribeiro and anthropologist Eduardo Galvão — intended to support the establishment of a Museum of Indigenous Peoples in Brasília,

Recognition Ribeiro experienced the loss of her family due to antisemitism in Romania and political repression under Brazilian dictatorships. Later, she engaged in advocacy for cultural diversity and indigenous rights. 1984 - Took second place at the XV Rio de Janeiro Scientific Film Festival in the Films on Videocassette category for Documentários sobre os Índios Asuriní e Araweté, co-produced with Fred Ribeiro. 1988 - Received the Érico Vanucci Mendes Award for efforts in preserving national memory, popular traditions, and cultural traits during the 40th RASBPC. She delivered the lecture “Arte Indígena: Patrimônio Cultural” at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of São Paulo (USP). 1989 - Received an “Honorable Mention” at the National Ecology Award for the work Amazônia Urgente: Cinco Séculos de História e Ecologia. 1995 - Awarded the commendation of the National Order of Scientific Merit by the Brazilian Government, presented at her home due to her severe illness.

Tributes On 14 August 1995, the then Minister of Science and Technology presented Berta Ribeiro with the National Order of Scientific Merit at her residence in Rio de Janeiro due to her illness. The ceremony took place in the presence of architect Oscar Niemeyer and her ex-husband Darcy Ribeiro. The Medal of Commandery, conferred by the Brazilian Government, acknowledged her work in anthropological studies and her production of scientific knowledge.

In 2022, on International Women’s Day, the Technical Reserve "Berta Ribeiro" was named in her honor at the Indigenous Museum (MI) in Rio de Janeiro where she coordinated the museology sector and cataloged most of the collection’s items until the 1980s.

Writings List of the anthropologist’s publications, compiled by researcher Lucia Hussak van Velthen: 1994(?) - Índios do Brasil: 500 Anos de Resistência. Ms.