New wave of dam building threatens Amazon Indians
The Enawene Nawe live in an area of tropical forest in western Brazil. The state government has announced it will build a vast complex of hydroelectric dams upriver of the Enawene Nawe’s land.
The Indians oppose the dams because they will pollute the water and destroy the fish which are an essential part of their diet.
The Enawene Nawe Indians are one of the very few tribes in the world who eat no red meat.
Their home is a rich and beautiful territory of rainforest and savannah on the edge of Brazil’s Amazon basin. It provides them with everything they need: crops like corn and manioc, honey, and above all, abundant fish.
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| A couple of 'malocas' in an Enawene Nawe village. © Fiona Watson/Survival |
They are divided into clans and live in a dozen large malocas, or communal houses, made of wood and thatch. These are built in a circle extending from ‘the house of the sacred flutes’ in the centre.
Maintaining balance and harmony with nature and the spirit world is essential. The Enawene Nawe universe has two levels and they live between the two.
The upper level is the home of the enore nawe, or celestial spirits, who are the owners of honey and certain flying insects. They accompany the Enawene Nawe on fishing trips and expeditions to gather forest produce, and protect them from the dangers of the world beyond the village.
The subterranean level is the realm of the yakairiti, or spirits of the underworld. Kawari, an elder of the tribe, explains their role: ‘all this land belongs to the yakairiti who are the owners of the natural resources. If you finish off the earth and the fish, the yakairiti will take vengeance and kill all the Enawene Nawe.’
