Notebook
O futuro é indígena — Alice Aedy and Eric Terena
Each year, thousands flock to the Brazilian capital of Brasilia for Acampamento Terra Livre (Freedom Land Camp). Considered the largest assembly of Indigenous peoples in the world, the event gives an opportunity for members from the country’s many Indigenous nations to gather in solidarity, strategise and discuss solutions to their joint struggles—including the continued erosion of the rights of Indigenous peoples, the destruction of Brazil’s diverse ecosystems, and the worsening threat of climate change.
To put a face to the movement, Indigenous journalist and filmmaker Eric Terena— who was reporting on the ground for Indigenous news platform Mídia India—and British documentarian Alice Aedy set up a temporary studio at this year’s encampment, and shot portraits of participants. Celebrated activists Sônia Guajajara and Célia Xakriabá, among others, were captured in a stylized mode typically reserved for high fashion and celebrity editorials. The project was given a simple, yet powerful title: “O futuro é indígena” (The Future is Indigenous). In their own words, Terena and Aedy explain the genesis of their project, the significance of Indigenous mobilization, and why harnessing Indigenous knowledge is crucial to the future of humanity.
“Since colonization began in Brazil, Indigenous peoples have been silenced. Therefore, we have had to constantly speak up and make our voice heard—to share our stories, to highlight our lives and our struggles. Photography and film have both been fantastic tools to raise awareness amongst non-Indigenous peoples, and educate white people about our culture so we can work together to preserve our territories and sacred biomes.
This is why we get together every year during the first two weeks of April for the Acampamento Terra Livre (ATL) in Brasilia. Deemed the biggest Indigenous mobilization in the world, this year’s event saw more than 6,000 people from 160 Indigenous nations come together to discuss politics and strategise together, because our futures are connected by joint struggle.
All across the country, many Indigenous territories are locked in longstanding struggles to demarcate our lands and register titles; protect ourselves against illegal loggers, land-grabbers and wildcat miners; preserve the integrity of our territories; and reclaim stolen land for Indigenous peoples that have been displaced. Everything comes down to land rights—vast Indigenous territories across the country remain under litigation, and the processes for demarcation and registration of the land titles have been completely halted by the Brazilian justice system. We have to fight constantly against systemic racism and demeaning notions that infantilize us, framing us as incapable of sensible decision-making and self-determination.
Reporting on the hundreds of speeches delivered by leaders at the ATL camp, and translating and communicating that content across a multitude of Indigenous languages in one newsroom was an immense challenge. And yet, despite the difficulty, we could see that many traditional Indigenous leaders appreciated the power of storytelling as a tool of resistance and empowerment. And with the support of the Indigenous leadership, we can continue mobilizing and deepening our work in the communities.
Through “O futuro é indígena,” we want to remind people that we Indigenous peoples are the stewards of the Earth’s most critical biodiversity. The world’s largest interconnected communities of species live in our ancestral territories, and it’s our job to protect them.
It is of utmost importance, then, that when we speak of biodiversity, we begin by speaking of us as Indigenous peoples: when our bodies are under threat, so too is the collective body of the Earth and, consequently, the future of both humanity and the rest of the Earth’s community.
This is why Indigenous ways of knowing and being are crucial for the Earth’s future, and this is precisely why we come together at the ATL every year. It is here that we define and collectively decide upon the most important political strategy and actions. In Brazil alone, there are over 300 different Indigenous nations, however our rights have been constantly violated.”
”I began my career documenting the Syrian refugee crisis, and saw it unfold across Europe, Iraq and Lebanon. As I continued with my work, I realized that climate change would cause what could potentially become the largest mass migration in history. Because climate change isn’t merely an environmental problem: fundamentally, it’s a social justice issue, with effects permeating every aspect of our lives and societies.
Our job as storytellers is to shed light onto such issues by telling human stories, as well as stories of the beautiful alternatives. We should show people there’s a future to be reclaimed. This is why I decided to grab my camera and travel to Brasilia to document the Acampamento Terra Livre—one of the world’s largest existing Indigenous gatherings.
From Caciques (Indigenous community leaders) to emerging youth voices, photographers, rappers, musicians and political candidates, so many extraordinary people took the time to join us for a portrait session.
All too often we have spoken of the Amazon rainforest as the “lungs of the Earth” while ignoring the Indigenous peoples who live there and constantly put their lives on the line to preserve it. Today, the stakes couldn’t be higher: a recent report stated that deforestation is at a record high, and under Bolsonaro’s government, Brazil’s Indigenous communities are under more threat than ever.