Decolonizing reparation: post-disaster recognition’s strategies raised by affected communities. Evidence from the Samarco case in Mariana, Brazil

This paper reflects and comments on the dynamics of the reparation process following the 2015 Samarco mining disaster in Minas Gerais, Brazil. It explores how propositions from affected populations took part (or not) in the governance of the disaster by analyzing the importance of instruments collaboratively developed by the Independent Technical Assistances (ITAs) chosen by the communities. The study examines the controversies that arise among corporate agents, state institutions, and affected communities, with a particular focus on the innovative approaches employed to incorporate the diverse demands of subalternized collectives, such as the unique cultural and territorial claims of the Krenak Indigenous People and the riparian communities of Tumiritinga and Galileia. I address some political struggles over defining formal categories and the extent of damages, highlighting the effort to recognize experiences that would otherwise be rendered invisible. I argue that the actions of the ITAs, despite their limitations, exemplify a decolonial endeavor to create alternative models for post-disaster reparation. These approaches not only address material needs but also strengthen the agency of affected communities by valuing traditional knowledge, practices, and relationships.