It could have been a day like any other day, but it wasn’t. On the afternoon of May 3rd, a phone call changed my routine, and I found myself on a journey deep into the Indigenous Park of Xingu.
The Park, located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, is home to some 5,500 indigenous individuals spread throughout 16 ethnic groups. I’d be traveling last-minute with a team of doctors on a mission. Arriving at Piaraçu, the team headed for Pakaya, a Juruna village, and I went to Piaraçu to meet with our Kayapó partners. In the meeting, the group decided I should meet with Chief Raoni and began trying to reach him in his village to see if I could go there. After waiting for two hours, I was told: “He is waiting for you,” and that was it. Going to Raoni’s was no longer a choice, but my duty. It was starting to get late, and I still had to meet with the Juruna at some point.
I went then to the Juruna village in search of a way to get to Raoni’s village. More doctors had arrived, and they were having a party. Everybody was beautifully painted to welcome those who where there voluntarily helping with alternative medicine. One of them had a car, and kindly offered to drive me to the city to buy gas for the boat ride. Terrible road, and four hours later we came back with the gas in the dark.
I spent the night with the Juruna tribe, their chants crossing the beautiful sky and bringing back old spirits of their ancestors to the village. I could see through the light of a full moon the colors of their necklaces and body jewels moving around as they danced barefoot, embracing Mother Earth.
I woke up when it was still dark because I know that indigenous people have a very different notion of time and space, and I needed as much time as possible with Raoni that morning to be able to be back before 3 pm, when the Juruna people where having a spiritual gathering. It took us only two hours by boat, the beauty of the mighty Xingu River and forest waking up around us until we arrived at Chief Raoni’s village.
My translator, Matudjo went with me straight to Raoni’s house. He told Raoni I was Christian’s friend, and he turned to me with a big laugh saying: Is that true? From the beginning it was clear that Christian, my colleague and the Brazil Campaigner at Amazon Watch, had captivated the people in all the villages I visited. Everybody was happy to know that Amazon Watch was still supporting their people. I remembered Raoni sitting on the floor smoking a pipe in front of me during a previous talk. It was slightly dark inside the house, and the light coming from the door was kindly shaping his body. I showed him some pictures from the Belo Monte dam construction and he suddenly became angry and said something in his language.
“He says you are afraid of facing your government,” said Matudjo. I replied right away saying: No, I am not afraid. Then I explained my previous work as a lawyer on this case, and the work I am doing now as part of the Amazon Watch team.
Raoni laughed, and said that I was like a daughter to him. Then he took me to meet 28 warriors and six leaders in the main house.
In all the meetings we talked about the events planned for Altamira to resist the Belo Monte dam construction, and about the events that would transpire during Rio+20. I also explained all that we and our partners have been doing, and again offered our support to whatever they decided to do.
Raoni was strong and serious during his speech, and carried with him six arrows at all times. It was definitely clear how much everybody there cares for and respects him. He said that he wants to form a big gathering of his tribe with all the groups from the Xingu Park. He also hopes to go to Rio+20 and take 30 warriors with him to talk with President Dilma. He showed gratitude for our work at Amazon Watch, and asked for our support remembering our government cares very little for its own people. I said we would do the best we could to help…
Back in the Juruna village, more meetings, and still I had the time to participate in their spiritual gathering; to enjoy the beauty of one more night of a glistening full moon; and to cry with emotion the last day when the entire tribe followed the doctors and me to the airplane, chanting a farewell song in thanks.
I can still hear their voices inside my head reminding me of the message that I have the duty to pass along the world to make sure that these people will not be forgotten and destroyed by our carelessness and misconception of “development.” And that message is quite simple because beauty lives inside simplicity… it is a message of peace, and respect; respect to all living things on Earth, so we may finally live in peace with the planet.
