KOEF gra n t p a rtn e r sp otl i ght
We Will Never Trade What is Sacred Pariri Indigenous Association
Water is life for Munduruku Peoples.
Sarah Hume (C S In te rn )
T
he sound of motors moves through the trees. Eleven heavy machines—all without license plates—cut down part of the Daje Kapap Eipi territory. This is the land of the Munduruku Peoples. They have occupied this land for more than three centuries, establishing a relationship of reciprocity with the forest. Now, illegal loggers stack chestnut trees onto trucks. Munduruku leaders, working with the Pariri Indigenous Association, have walked over 100 kilometers in the Daje Kapap Eipi territory (also known as the Sawre Muybu Indigenous land) in Pará, Brazil. The territory is located in the southwest of Pará and is 440,280 acres in total. The Tapajós River to the west and the Jamanxim River to the east flow through the land. The territory also holds sacred sites, including where mankind is said to have been created in Munduruku tradition. The Pariri Association was founded in 1988 to protect Munduruku rights. Created by Munduruku village chiefs, as well as guerreros and guerreras (warriors), the organization represents the Middle Rio Tapajós region. Their mission is to articulate the struggle for Indigenous rights and improve the
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quality of life in villages. To do this, the Pariri Association facilitates meetings for communities to reaffirm Munduruku values and discuss threats to their wellbeing. They also have developed sustainability projects and native language teaching programs in urban villages near the city of Itaituba for the past 15 years. In 2014, the Pariri Association embarked on a new project to protect the Daje Kapap Eipi territory that was in danger from illegal loggers and miners. A number of hydroelectric projects and dams were, and continue to be, slated for the Daje Kapap Eipi territory as well. One project would dam the Tapajós River and its tributaries, flooding about seven percent of the territory, including the Itaituba II National Forest and the Boa Fé village. Munduruku leaders met with the federal government and petitioned the National Indian Organization of Brazil to recognize and protect the ancestral lands of the Daje Kapap Eipi territory. When this did not happen, Munduruku protectors decided to do it themselves. Their project, called self-demarcation, establishes the borders of the territory and maps the land of the Munduruku Peoples. This allows for the land to be acknowledged as Munduruku land. By leading expeditions through the area, the Pariri Association strengthens surveillance and monitors intruders. So far, the Pariri Association has found several groups of illegal miners and loggers. These 11 heavy machines are just one horde of many. “We were armed with our chants, our painting, our arrows, and the wisdom of our ancestors,” reads a statement from the Pariri Indigenous Association. The Association gives nonlicensed intruders three days to leave. When the expeditioners found these 11 heavy machines and trucks full of logs, they acted. With such pressure from Munduruku protectors, the illegal loggers spent the whole night removing their equipment. Similar work, with successful results, has been done across the territory. Protectors also clean the land during expeditions. They open new roads and villages, such as Karoebak, located on the Jamanxim River. This village plays an important role in Munduruku stories about the creation of the fields on the black earth. The management process is autonomous. All expeditions respect Munduruku norms, established from ancestors and recorded in stories. Shamans always accompany actions, asking for protection and advice in decision making. They request permission to enter the forests and open the roads. Protectors never forget to clean the peaks of the Sawre Muybu boundary. They ensure the physical and spiritual wellbeing of the land.
All photos courtesy of Pariri Indigenous Association Facebook page.
