Indigenous Self-Determination & Emerging Strategies to tackle Deforestation in the Amazon .

Awaydip Tip Mutaxipi / The Ailing Forest (2024) portrays the impacts of illegal gold mining within the traditional territory of the Munduruku people, as well as the latter’s struggle for their land and for the forest. The Munduruku today number 13000 in over 100 villages along the Tapajós river, situated in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon. Today, they are at war with a constellation of extractive and infrastructural projects that threaten to transform their territory into a sacrifice zone in the name of gold and timber extraction, soy production, and hydroelectric energy.

In 2023 a group of young warriors from the various Munduruku villages in the state of Pará travelled extensively to interview those impacted by violent invasion, mining and deforestation. The result is a remarkable film showing the effects of mining on the forest and waters the Munduruku people depend on, and the tireless resistance by the original dwellers of these lands.

The documentary was produced by Munduruku youth from the Wakoborun Audiovisual Collective in partnership with Coletivo Audiovisual Wuyxaxima and supported by Coletivo Audiovisual Da’Uk, Associação das Mulheres Munduruku Wakoborun and Movimento Munduruku Ipereg Ayu.

The film will be introduced by two of the Munduruku women from the Collective.

After the film we will have two panel discussions, about indigenous resistance to mining and transnational legal initiatives against mineral extraction in the Amazon.

Programme:

18.00 – Doors open and welcome by Brazil Matters

19.00 – Film Premier: Awaydip tip mutaxipi (The Ailing Forest)

19.40 – Panel discussion on indigenous resistance to mineral extraction in the Amazon, with representatives from the Wakoborun Audiovisual Collective and Ademir Kaba Munduruku (Ipereg Ayu Movement) – moderated by Brian Garvey (University of Strathclyde).

20.30 – Panel Discussion on new legal tactics against the drivers of deforestation.

The UK is a key market for industrial and precious metals, commodities often extracted illegally from the Amazon Basin in Brazil, driving environmental destruction and ignoring the human rights of indigenous and traditional communities. The Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) and the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) in cooperation with the Transnational Law Institute at King’s College London (TLI-KCL), advocate for innovative legal strategies to reframe how corporate responsibility is understood and to hold corporations and economic actors accountable for rights violations within global production chains.

With Gearóid Ó Cuinn (GLAN); Miriam Saage-Maaß (ECCHR) and Dotô Takak Ire (Kabu Institute and Kayapó Mekrãgnotí leader) – moderated by Octavio Ferraz (TLI-KCL).

21.30 – Closing comments by Bepdjo Mekrãgnotire (Kabu Institute and leader of the Kayapó people) and Ana Alfinito (Amazon Watch).

The event is being hosted with the support of University of Strathclyde and British Academy Knowledge Frontiers, Amazon Watch, Brazil Matters, Global Legal Action Network, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, King’s College London, London Mining Network, Pastoral Land Commission and Federal University of Pará. The film and its launch is made possible by the further support of the Da’Uk Audiovisual Collective, Munduruku Wakoborun Womens’ Association and Munduruku Ipereg Ayu Movement.

Refreshments will be available in our licensed cafe/bar.

TICKETS & PRICING

Tickets £5.

Advance tickets may be purchased from Ticketlab, or direct from the Museum by calling 020 7840 2200 in office hours.