colladok2 | Culture's of South America

By Keury Collado

Co-Authors: Haleigh Reutershan, Tracy Kay, and Stephanie L. Rodriguez

In late April, a peaceful protest held in Brazil’s capital city, Brasilia, led by various indigenous groups suddenly turned violent. The police and indigenous protesters’ confrontation started when, according to a Reuters’ photographer, protesters climbed over a ramp that gave way to the entrance of the congressional building. The protesters, though, argued that the police were just looking for any excuse for their removal. These various groups were calling for laws that would finally set boundaries on their lands and reservations, which are constantly being trespassed by ranchers and farmers. Although Brazil’s indigenous people only make up 0.4 percent of the nation’s population, 12 percent of the country’s territory is supposed to be under their jurisdiction. The failure of the Brazilian government to implement and enforce laws regarding demarcation has led to numerous violent confrontations between the indigenous population and the ranchers and farmers living on the borders of these lands. Just recently in the northeastern state of Maranhão, indigenous leaders were violently attacked by ranchers on a late Sunday night. The attacks were a result of territorial disagreements between both parties, these disputes tend to turn brutal and violent very quickly. On this particular incident, thirteen people were reported to be hospitalized and one individual was even reported to be mutilated, his hands and feet being chopped off. The indigenous group involved in this particular altercation were the Gamela people. They argued that they were just occupying lands that was rightfully theirs. The land that was being occupied by them, they said, was illegally strip from them by the military dictatorship that controlled the country from 1964 to 1985. The cattle ranchers, who claim to be the legal owners of the land, were stated to have gotten together in the middle of the night, gotten drunk and attacked by surprise the Gamela community. The ranchers and farmers argue that the indigenous populations who are claiming these lands to be theirs aren’t making proper use of it. The land isn’t being used for agricultural production, so in their eyes they see no point in why land should be given to them. In the other hand, indigenous population state that they are in fact making heavy use of the land they claim to be rightfully theirs. It is used for the daily rituals that are needed for them to stay healthy and whole (Nolen 2016). The land is also used for fishing and hunting, the river used for things such as bathing and drinking water. A simplistic life that mirrors many of the indigenous communities found in Latin America. Genito Gomes, a member of the Kaiowa community, states “we need the land to be able to live our culture” (Nolen 2016). They know of the danger the farmers pose to them, but the land is deemed too sacred to give up on it so easily. They’re ready to risk it all just to be on the land of their ancestors.

(source: REUTERS/ Ueslei Marcelino)

The current situation in Brazil is a very complicated one that has put neighbors against each other, disagreements very often leading to bloodshed. Even though the indigenous communities in Brazil have stepped up activity in attempts to reclaim their land, land rights activists are constantly threatened and murdered. Making Brazil one of the most dangerous places in the world for these people. A government report put the total deaths of activists at 61 in the year 2016 alone.

Summary Factoids

1.Name one group of the indigenous community in Brazil suffering from confrontations with farmers and ranchers?

The Gamela or Kaiowa people.