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Article Publication logo janvier 10, 2023

On Yanomami Land, Young Indigenous People Are Leaving Their Villages To Work in Illegal Mining (Portuguese)

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gold mining in Brazil
Anglais

In the Brazilian Amazon, at the Venezuelan Border, the Yanomami people are facing a ruthless...

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This story excerpt was translated from Portuguese. To read the original story in full, visit Mongabay. You may also view the original story on the Rainforest Journalism Fund website here. Our website is available in English, Spanish, bahasa Indonesia, French, and Portuguese.



Robervaldo, a young Yek’wana that used to work in a garimpo, photographed in his community Waikas near the Venezuelan border. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.
  • An increasing number of young Indigenous people in Brazil’s Yanomami Indigenous Territory are leaving their communities behind and turning to illegal gold mining, lured by the promise of small fortunes and a new lifestyle.
  • Work in the mining camps ranges from digging and removing tree roots to operating as boat pilots ferrying gold, supplies, and miners to and from the camps; recruits receive nearly $1,000 per boat trip.
  • The structures, traditions, and health of Indigenous societies are torn apart by the proximity of the gold miners, and the outflow of the young generation further fuels this vicious cycle, say Indigenous leaders.
  • Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of authorities monitoring the area, illegal mining in the region has increased drastically, with 20,000 miners now operating illegally in the territory.

WAIKAS, Brazil—From up above, long, massive, yellowish stains tear apart the green blanket of the Amazon. In the northern part of the Yanomami Indigenous Territory near Brazil’s border with Venezuela, these illegal gold mines, known locally as garimposblanket the banks of the Uraricoera River.

The pilot flies his Cessna aircraft low but doesn’t get too close. He fears the armed garimpeiros, or gold diggers, on the ground as much as the other small planes swooping through the tree canopy to avoid the police radars and supply the mining camps.

On the ground, the Indigenous village of Waikas is in sight. This is home to the Yek’wana, one of the eight ethnic groups who live in this territory the size of Portugal.


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Aerial view of the garimpos in the Waikas region. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.

Robervaldo, a young Yek’wana that used to work in a garimpo, and other members of his community, photographed in his community Waikas near the Venezuelan border. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.
Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil Garimpeiro shows the salary ( in gold ) he received as a musician in the garimpo. Photo © Victor Raison 2022, all rights reserved
A garimpeiro shows the salary (in gold) he received as a musician in the garimpo. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.
Waikas, Raraima, Brazil September 1st 2022. Floating cabaret show along the Uraricoera near the Waikas community advertising internet. Photo © Victor Raison 2022, all rights reserved.
Floating cabaret show in a mining camp near the Waikas community advertising internet. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.
Waikas, Raraima, Brazil September 1st 2022 Garimpos along the Uraricoera near the Waikas community. Photo © Victor Raison 2022, all rights reserved
Mining equipment in the garimpos along the Uraricoera near the Waikas community. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.

This is the starting point for many garimpeiros in their journey deeper in the Amazon to reach the garimpo at times up to 12 days away by boat. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.
Boa Vista, Raraima, Brazil August 18th 2022 gold business in Boa Vista Photo © Victor Raison 2022, all rights reserved
Gold business in Boa Vista. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.
Waikas, Raraima, Brazil September 1st 2022 Aerial view of a boat sailing from the garimpos in the Waikas region. Photo © Victor Raison 2022, all rights reserved
Aerial view of a boat sailing from the garimpos in the Waikas region. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.
Waikas, Raraima, Brazil September 1st 2022 Posto de saude ( health center ) of the Waikas communuity near the venezuelian border. Bernaldo Estevao technico medical. Photo © Victor Raison 2022, all rights reserved
Posto de saude (health center) of the Waikas communuity near the Venezuelan border. Bernaldo Estevao is the medical technician. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.
Waikas, Raraima, Brazil September 1st 2022 Posto de saude ( health center ) of the Waikas communuity near the venezuelian border. Photo © Victor Raison 2022, all rights reserved
Traditional hammock at a health center covered by a mosquito net to prevent the spread of malaria. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.
Waikas, Raraima, Brazil September 1st 2022 Julio 42 year-old leader of (cacique) of the Waikas communuity near the venezuelian border. Photo © Victor Raison 2022, all rights reserved
Julio, the 42 year-old leader of (cacique) of the Waikas community, shows some of the organic cocoa in their orchard. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.

Supplies and gas for the mining camps. This is the starting point for many garimpeiros in their journey deeper in the Amazon to reach the Garimpo, at times up to 12 days away by boat. Image by Victor Raison/Mongabay. Brazil, 2022.