49-3: Brazil Is Indigenous Land

Of Brazil’s more than 8 million square kilometers, approximately 14% are identified as Indigenous lands, either already demarcated or in the process of being recognized. However, it is important to highlight that most of the biodiversity, water, minerals, and wildlife—recognized by science or not—are protected by Indigenous Peoples, the guardians of forests, fields, and rivers. Brazil is home to more than 300 Indigenous Peoples, and about 270 native languages are spoken, reflecting vast cultural and linguistic diversity.

More than a resistance, the Indigenous movement is inspired by strong community and family ties. It is strengthened collectively with new languages, knowledge, and forms of political action. Newiwe Top’Tiro  (Xavante/A’uwẽ Uptabi), Aptsi’ré Waro Juruna (Juruna/ Xavante), and Roiti Metuktire (Kayapó/Mebengôkre/Juruna) are three of the countless young activists and leaders of the Indigenous movement.

Chief Nailton Muniz Pataxó (Pataxó/Tupinambá), warrior shaman, is one of the most emblematic leaders of the Indigenous movement in Brazil, especially in Bahia. His life story is inextricably intertwined with the trajectory of resistance, reoccupation, and territorial affirmation of his People on the CaramuruCatarina Paraguaçu Indigenous Land in the municipality of Pau Brasil, southern Bahia.

Weibe Tapeba (Tapeba) is part of the Indigenous leadership of the Tapeba Peoples, originally from the municipality of Caucaia, Ceará, in the northeast region of Brazil. He is a professor and lawyer currently serving as Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (SESAI) at the Ministry of Health, where he is responsible for coordinating and implementing the National Indigenous Health Policy—a program that aims to assist approximately 800,000  Indigenous people from the 305 recognized Indigenous Peoples in Brazil through primary care services and comprehensive Indigenous health services.

Sineia do Vale (Wapichana), also known as Sineia Wapichana, began her career in 1992 in Brazil at the age of 17, when she was invited by her uncle Clóvis to work as a secretary at the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR). There, she attended community assemblies and strategic meetings of the more than 200 Indigenous Peoples of Roraima, especially concerning activities related to land demarcation, such as the Raposa Serra do Sol.

João Felipe Yawanawá da Silva (Yawanawá), also known as Tuata, comes from a family of traditional farmers and healers. He carries his family’s legacy through his work with traditional medicines and agriculture, receiving inspiration for his art and strength for his work from nature. Tuata is a 2024 Cultural Survival Indigenous Youth Fellow.

In this dialogue, Cleonice Pankararu Pataxó (Pataxó), leader of the Cinta Vermelha Village, and Ângela  Maria Martins Souza (Quilombola), leader of Quilombo Mutuca, speak about their struggle against lithium mining and the defense of their territories in the Jequitinhonha Valley. As a feminine force, radical hospitality comes from women—especially Indigenous and Quilombola women—who welcome and resist simultaneously. They take care of the land, the people, and the memory.