Weekly Show

VIDEO | Under attack, Brazil’s biggest indigenous land turns 30

To the Yanomami people, mining is the same as death, hunger, diseases and sexual exploitation

São Paulo (SP) |
Illegal mining in the Yanomami indigenous land - Bruno Kelly/Amazonia Real

At the end of May, the demarcation of the Yanomami land reached thirty years. It is Brazil’s largest demarcated indigenous land and is located between the states of Roraima and Amazonas. However, the Yanomami people don't have many reasons to celebrate. Today, they have been facing the same problem as three decades ago: the advance of mining activities.

"There is a rise in the number of miners. Businessmen are interested in it, those who sell machinery in the city and profits a lot from it. Also [there are] politicians who finance mining", says Maurício Yekuana, from the Hutukara Yanomami Association.

Also on What's Happening in Brazil: In Brazil, June is a month marked by the festivities in celebration of Saint John, The Baptist, Saint Anthony and Saint Peter. These are celebrations with lots of music, dance and typical food. We are going to check out a candy recipe that is a must in this period of the year.

Brazil was the last country of the American continent to abolish slavery, in 1888. But the problem has not ended with the sigining of the law: even today, there are workers living under slavery-like conditions. This reality made it to the theaters, with the movie “Pureza”, which came out in Brazil in may.

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Edited by: Arturo Hartmann