Dialogues on happiness with the Guarani Mbyá in South America and the limits of the science of well-being

Abstract

Engaging with indigenous peoples challenges the assumptions deeply embedded in traditional scientific approaches. This paper critiques the science of well-being’s (WBSci) large-scale measurement instruments considering teko porã, an expression from the Guarani Mbyá people that loosely translates to happiness and encompasses the discussion about the best way to live. Over two years, our research employed a triangulation method involving a literature review, participation in the Indigenous Support Network at the University of São Paulo, and four interviews with Guarani Mbyá leaders. We uncovered three key aspects of teko porã: (1) its variability, (2) its reliance on immaterial/spiritual elements, and (3) its communal rather than individual focus. These findings reveal the limitations of WBSci’s individual-centric measurement instruments, which rely heavily on personal experiences, self-reports, and cognitive life evaluations. We propose four parameters for a more inclusive happiness/well-being assessment framework to address these shortcomings. First, defining the spatial and social perimeter to which the idea of happiness will be defined and to which it will refer. Second, understanding the roles of those within these boundaries in the assessment. Third, allowing community members to set the assessment’s purpose. Fourth, periodically revisiting both the happiness construct and its evaluation process. These parameters advocate for a participatory assessment of happiness tailored to a specific community, highlighting the insufficiency of many WBSci methodologies in capturing the full spectrum of human ontologies and epistemologies. In conclusion, it is essential to recognize the limitations of traditional WBSci approaches focused on universal characteristics of happiness and integrate new theoretical perspectives and actors into the debate. Such dialogue is timely and necessary for the maturing of the field.