Q&A with Davi Kopenawa – Survival Worldwide

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h4. In April 2014 Davi Kopenawa, a shaman and spokesman of the Yanomami tribe, visited the San Francisco Bay Space to speak concerning the pressing have to safeguard the world’s rainforests for future generations.

h4. Tens of hundreds of individuals tuned in to Davi’s reside ‘Ask Me Something’ session on the web site Reddit, the place he answered questions from members of the general public about shamanism, rainforest life, racism and the portrayal of the Yanomami individuals as ‘violent’ by anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon and others.

The total Q&A is on the market on Reddit. Learn excerpts beneath.
Davi Kopenawa: Olá Reddit! My title is Davi Kopenawa. I reside within the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, in a village known as Watoriki, or ‘the windy mountain.’ I’m a shaman and spokesperson for the Yanomami, the biggest comparatively remoted tribe in South America.

I’m in San Francisco, California with the group Survival Worldwide for a collection of talks concerning the marketing campaign to demarcate Yanomami territory and the significance of preserving the Amazon for all of humanity. Fiona Watson, Survival’s analysis director, can be translating my solutions from Portuguese.

h4. Are you able to inform us a little bit concerning the historical past of Watoriki or of the Yanomami?

Watoriki is a really huge, tall mountain. We name this mountain Watoriki as a result of it means ‘the windy mountain’. The wind is at all times blowing across the neighborhood, in order that we breathe properly – it’s extremely clear air. We have lived there for a few years. We do not wish to ever go away there. We at all times need our spherical home – yano, a logo of the earth as a result of it is spherical – we at all times wish to have our Yano there.
h4. What types of expertise did you be taught as a shaman?

I requested the oldest shaman to show me to grow to be a shaman. So he ready what we name ‘yakoana’, and he advised me that it is not straightforward to be a shaman. He stated you have to not eat, you have to not take a shower, you can’t eat meat, no fish, you must stay in silence, and you must really feel starvation. The nice shamans do not let you eat – you must clear out all of your physique as a result of in our stomachs now we have rot. So you must be on this state for weeks. It’s important to put together your self – you must have a look at all the opposite shamans. After which all of the shamans and the shamanic spirits arrive close to you. And the shamanic spirits reside in a really huge home – a shabono – they usually deliver that with them to the shaman. Every spirit of the forest has a reputation, there are many completely different spirits – all of them arrive, after which the oldest shaman will present the spirits the right way to work. The work of the spirits is to remedy, to heal individuals. So they are going to take the sickness. The shamans get them to hit the illness and do away with the illness. So ‘xawara’, the unhealthy spirit, falls onto the bottom. Then the shaman takes it and throws it very far-off. Then the shaman cleans out the physique with particular water that he has – then the individual is cured.

h4. Are the xapiri _[shamanic spirits]_ conscious that there’s a battle occurring between those that are conscious of plant spirit and people who aren’t? The people who find themselves not conscious of plant spirit take no care of the planet. Do the xapiri know of a means to assist individuals get up and understand the destruction of our planet is actual? We can not do that with out their assist.

Sure. The xapiri are involved with plenty of completely different locations. They obtain messages and information that come from very far-off. A shaman in a village can be receiving this information from very far-off. They’ll know that there’s a lot of rain, or that it is turning into very popular in locations the place there is no such thing as a rain, that the rivers are getting offended, and that there can be a variety of storms. The shamans in the neighborhood are receiving this information through the shamanic spirits from all all over the world.

h4. Do you discover that there’s a lot of prejudice or racism towards indigenous individuals?

Sure. Prejudice is in all places. We discover it within the metropolis, in villages, in small communities. In truth, in all places on this planet, you discover prejudice.
h4. What’s your favourite rainforest animal?

My favourite animals are the macaw, the parrot, and the eagle.
h4. What was your first expertise of the developed world like?

I left my neighborhood, Tototoobi, for the primary time. I went along with an worker of FUNAI (the Brazilian indigenous affairs group) and I arrived within the municipality of Barcelos. The primary time I noticed that place of electrical mild and the homes all collectively, crammed like matchboxes, and many individuals strolling on the street, I felt a variety of curiosity and I wished to get to know them. I assumed, “Who’re these individuals? The place did they arrive from? How did they get right here?” That is what I assumed on my first go to to the town.
h4. Did you’ve got any adverse emotions about cities like that? I.e., disbelief or pity that individuals lived like that? Or have been you simply intrigued by one other lifestyle?

I feel metropolis life may be very sophisticated. It is troublesome to reside within the metropolis for me as an indigenous individual. I feel the remaining is nice, it is good, however it’s good for the white individuals. It is your private home. I can solely keep about 5 or 6 days within the metropolis, after which I’ve to return to my shabono.
h4. After seeing the developed world, would you relatively keep in San Francisco than return to your village?

I want to return to the place I’m from. That is my place – it is the place I used to be born and that is the perfect place for me. Right here within the metropolis it is the land of the white individuals.
h4. Are there any luxuries or know-how from the town that you’ll actually miss?

There’s know-how that may be helpful for the Yanomami. Expertise that isn’t contaminated is nice. For examples, photo voltaic panels, which act like a battery receiving power from the solar. That is good for the communities, that helps us take care of our well being. Microscopes are good, and so are issues like toothpaste. Issues that you just use to look at your coronary heart are good. Additionally communications gear, like two-way radios. As we speak our youngsters are studying to make use of computer systems to ship information to the town from the neighborhood. Additionally they write up paperwork on the pc. For us indigenous peoples, these sorts of know-how are necessary.
h4. I’m an anthropology grad pupil and a supporter of Survival Worldwide. I’ve actually learn a wealth of literature relating to the Yanomami in my research and am very excited for this AMA. I’ve at all times questioned about Survival Worldwide (and others prefer it in addition to anthropologists within the subject) and its true influence on the lives of these it seeks to help. Do most of the communities (yours included after all) really feel that they’re doing ample work? If not what do these communities really feel the group (or its members as people) may enhance upon in an effort to assist educate different populations all over the world.

The work of Survival is nice work. They work very properly defending indigenous peoples, they usually additionally defend the locations the place Indians reside. They unfold the phrase, they’re at all times giving plenty of information. That is the position of Survival, and it is superb. Survival Worldwide was born due to the indigenous peoples. It is their trigger. It is distinctive. The non-Indian individuals who help indigenous peoples, they will help indigenous organizations of their tasks.
h4. Pajé Kopenawa, good afternoon. I labored for an official organ of Human Rights alongside the Governo da Bahia, in Salvador a very long time in the past, and I have to say that every one of us Brazilians may have some extra respect concerning the indigenous individuals, not solely within the Amazon, however in the entire nation. I do not assume the federal government or the media let the individuals to be actually conscious of what is actually occurring across the indigenous territories. In your opinion, what might be modified for FUNAI to work higher for you and what might be modified within the Brazilian media to assist the remainder of the individuals to know higher your individuals’s affair?

First the federal government itself has to alter. That is ranging from the highest of the federal government. Change the top of state, after which FUNAI can change to make its work higher for indigenous individuals. It is the federal authorities that helps FUNAI, and it has to worth FUNAI’s work and provides it cash, particularly for the indigenous territories that aren’t demarcated and to guard territories, that are already demarcated. FUNAI has to additionally defend the borders of indigenous territories to cease the invaders coming in. That’s what is required from FUNAI.

I feel the media don’t love to speak concerning the issues in Brazil. In truth, they like to cover them, in order that different international locations do not find out about them. It will be actually good if the TV, radio and web may ship out the actual information in order that we may talk.

h4. Are you able to describe the hardships that your tribe and different remoted tribes have skilled within the Amazon by the hands of prospectors, poachers and loggers? With the frontier persevering with to devour the Amazon, do you assume the really remoted and uncontacted tribes, such because the Arrow Folks within the Vale do Javari, will survive long run into the long run?

We indigenous peoples, we always remember our worries as a result of the destruction is growing – the seek for gold and different minerals, the destruction of the forest for logging, and the non-indigenous inhabitants is getting greater. We’re frightened about this. So the place the indigenous peoples reside, just like the Yanomami, in actual fact it is not a variety of land, it is small. The ranchers are coming there, the gold miners, rural employees, mining corporations, and plenty of different individuals who haven’t got land. Though our territory has been demarcated, it is not assured. So I am very frightened about our future.

I am additionally very frightened about our brothers and sisters who haven’t been contacted. Within the Yanomami space there are uncontacted individuals known as the Yawari. And on the higher Solimoes River there are different peoples who haven’t been contacted. All of them converse completely different languages and are completely different peoples, however however they’ll undergo rather a lot – that is my fear. There are no non-Indians to defend them. FUNAI defends them, however FUNAI has no cash. They do not have plans, they do not have reliable individuals, they usually haven’t got the help of the federal government to provide them the cash in an effort to defend the uncontacted individuals. So sooner or later they are going to undergo rather a lot.
h4. Ideas on Napoleon Chagnon?

Napoleon Chagnon went to the Yanomami land to be taught with us, and to find out about our knowledge. Then he discovered to talk our Yanomami language, and he modified his concepts, and he determined to play a trick on us. He requested communities to battle amongst themselves, he incentivized combating, in order that those that gained within the fights would acquire merchandise – pans, knives, and so on. That is how Napoleon Chagnon labored. Then he sat down together with his pen in his hand, saying that the Yanomami are violent. That’s completely not the case. What’s extra violent is the US, which has killed hundreds of individuals – youngsters, ladies – and destroyed cities, throwing atomic bombs. He has a variety of prejudice, Chagnon. He’s prejudiced towards my Yanomami individuals. Who’s probably the most violent? Him. His individuals. Chagnon simply stated the Yanomami are violent with out explaining something. Some Yanomami, like different individuals, get offended. Each individuals on earth have their very own fights. Males get jealous about ladies. Ladies get jealous about their husbands. Some ladies even beat their husbands. ALL human beings have this inside them.
h4. Hello Davi, there are some questions right here concerning the ‘developed world’, however what do you consider the form of growth that’s occurring within the Amazon?

I feel the event being completed by the white individuals is completed in the best way of the non-Indians. They like constructing highways and hydroelectric dams for power. They wish to industrialize all the pieces. They wish to construct nice highways to move issues – all of the minerals, wooden – to different international locations. The non-Indians like to do that. That is very unhealthy for the indigenous individuals. In a way, a few of it’s good – it brings in drugs and gear for well being and well being groups who work with our communities. And airstrips assist the well being groups are available to assist us. Alternatively it is not good. There are two paths, and the trail of well being is extra necessary, however the different highway is a big highway: the highway of sickness. It’s going to deliver plenty of issues. The roads usher in alcoholic drinks, and unhealthy issues from the town.
h4. How do you cease your self from getting depressed concerning the future (of the Amazon, of the world…)?

Once I’m within the metropolis, I get very unhappy as a result of I meet lots of people who speak concerning the destruction of the Amazon. I really feel even sadder after I hear about large-scale mining occurring all all over the world in indigenous territories. These two issues make me very unhappy. We do not know the right way to resolve this as a result of the authorities are all united collectively to destroy nature. There are only a few people who find themselves defending and combating along with indigenous peoples. So on the one hand I really feel unhappy, however however I really feel agency figuring out that there are different individuals who will battle, who will defend our forest, who will defend indigenous peoples. I additionally belief very a lot within the forces of nature and the work of the shamans. I do know that those that are destroying will undergo like we’re struggling afterwards. Nature provides me braveness in order that I am not unhappy on a regular basis.

Davi Kopenawa: I am leaving now, however I am sending you all a message, all of you right here: all of you who wish to know the way we indigenous peoples reside, you wish to know whether or not we’re protected or not, I am saying that we’re protected a bit. We have now buddies like Survival Worldwide, Rainforest Basis from Norway, CAFOD, FUNAI, the general public ministry, our indigenous organizations, like Hutukara Yanomami Affiliation, and plenty of indigenous peoples who’re combating collectively.

I am telling you this, so that you’re going to be joyful figuring out this. However I need assistance from the individuals of the US. Preserve watching, and if you’d like, help the indigenous organizations in our tasks, and this can assist preserve the Amazon rainforest. That is my message to you all. Obrigado.

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