LEADER | GUARDIAN | ACTIVIST
Protector of the Amazon and Indigenous traditions
Leader of Indigenous people
Guardian of the Amazon
Environmental Activist
My Life
I was born in a village in the Amazonian rainforest. I studied at an agricultural college in Minas Gerais and later studied at the Federal University of Maranhao.
My Work
I am the coordinator of Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil (Association of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil) and I was part of unifying more than 305 ethnicities around an agenda that protects indigenous rights. My work is recognised worldwide for my fearless activism and defence of indigenous and environmental rights in the face of pressure from some of the most powerful sectors of Global Industries.
In 2018 me and my party decided to run for president, we got less the 1 % of the votes but our campaign was not about winning but about pushing for Indigenous rights in Brazil.
My Passion
My mission is to make the larger society see the huge potential that the indigenous people have to help preserve life. Reconnecting people with the planet. You can see that our lands are the best preserved, because we protect and nurture the nature around us. If we were not there to protect the land it would get destroyed, our way of living naturally acts like a barrier against chaos.
“Even after 500 years of contact with the white man, we continue with huge resistance: Enjoy without destroying is one of our greatest brands. We want nature alive, so we can live our life, too. “
For us (Indigenous people), life is inseparable from nature. People who do not descend from Indians cannot see nature as part of themselves. The need for consumption drives people away from themselves and leaves a void in their lives. I believe that society, as it is shaped at present time, has created a disassociation to nature. The essence of indigenous people is collectivity, and a respectful relationship with nature and with ancestry.
I believe that we are able to save the planet now, we don’t have to wait for the apocalypse to come back and we can count on the help of Indians.
Tags: Inspiring people, P2, P23 Sônia Guajajara, Amazonia, Indigenous people