Page 27 - Roots-EN

Kayapó (mebêngôkre)

The Warriors

Location: Brazil
Language: mebêngôkre language of the Ye family (Gê)
Population: approximately 7,000 inhabitants

The name Kayapó was given by outsiders who studied
their tribes decades ago and although that name is
recognized worldwide, they refer to themselves as
mebêngôkre.

They live in the center of the Amazon, in the Xingú river region in the heart of Brazil.
Surrounded by different slopes of rivers and valleys, the Kayapó people are dedicated to
hunting, fishing, and are growers of cotton, corn, beans, papaya, tobacco, and rice. They are also
artisans, great orators and recognized for still practicing rituals and dances in the same way
that their ancestors did.

Its political structure does not depend on a single chief, but on a council of chiefs who meet to
make decisions or resolve conflicts within the community. Its provisions are based on listening
to all interests and seeking a balance that benefits all parties. The elderly are the ones with
the most knowledge and for generations have been in charge of teaching the youngest. These
teachings include a series of songs and recitations used in different ceremonies to avoid
natural disasters and protect their surroundings.

Some sources mention that their people came to be recognized as violent, due to the way
in which they have protected their territories through the years of industries that only seek
to exploit their natural resources and exterminate their communities. The greater local and
international attention they received from the media was due to the massive protest they
carried out in the 1990s against the Brazilian government and private companies to prevent
the creation of a series of hydroelectric dams on their land.

Although the Kayapó win legal battles every day, they lose territory, and their fight against
large corporations continues. It is complex for them to understand how the western man
causes so much destruction, it is clear that for the Kayapó nature is synonymous with life and
they were sent to earth to coexist and protect each other.

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