The view that indigenous people in Brazil do not have access to communication because they live in villages is increasingly outdated. In addition to setting up strategies to always be ‘in the know’ about the latest news, they are also seeking greater representation in the media and advertising.
One of the movements currently fighting for this access to communication is Rede Xingu+, which emerged in 2018 to uphold territorial protection. The following year the idea arose to bring together a group of communicators, made up of indigenous people from several different villages, to use communication resources – such as texts, videos and audio – in defense of the Xingu Basin.
In order to understand more about the culture of indigenous people and the role which communication plays in their villages, our Diversity and Inclusion team invited Rede Xingu+’s coordinator, Sília Moan, and the indigenous ‘Low Xingu’ Are Juruna for a chat with our consultants.
During the conversation, Are Juruna – who is a member of the group of communicators – explained that their mission is to transmit what their community is thinking and doing, and also to keep them updated on what is happening in Brazil. To do this, Are and his colleagues were sent to cover the recent protests that took place in the country’s capital city, Brasília.
Brazilian media paid a lot of attention to the protests carried out by indigenous groups in Brasília this year. They were objecting to the time frame imposed by Bill 490 for the demarcation of indigenous lands. Since the beginning of June, hundreds of indigenous people have camped in the Brazilian capital, pressuring the National Congress to veto the bill.
This Bill of Law provides for changes in the rules for the demarcation of indigenous lands, creating a ‘time frame’. As a result, only those places occupied by indigenous peoples up to October 5th 1988 will be considered indigenous lands. In addition, the new rules open up possibilities for water exploration, mining, mining, and more.
These changes could pose a great risk not only to indigenous people, who have been living in Brazil since before the Europeans, but to the environment itself. It is for these reasons that the Brazilian indigenous people are protesting and fighting to put an end to this bill.
According to Are Juruna, he and the other Rede Xingu+ communicators went to Brasília to seek the appropriate path for information and report it to their respective villages in a comprehensive, transparent manner, to keep all indigenous people in Brazil updated on the progress of the protests and polls.
Upon returning to Baixo Xingu in Mato Grosso, Are toured the village, showing his colleagues videos and photos to explain what had happened. His goal is not to let his village fall prey to ‘fake news’.
False or misleading news circulating on the internet and social media is also a problem for indigenous people. According to Sília Moan, this was a major challenge faced by the Rede Xingu+ communicators during the Covid-19 pandemic. A number of widely-distributed audios addressed the Covid-19 vaccines, claiming they would turn people into alligators and that they were ‘of the devil’.
Unfortunately many villagers were taken in, and the group of communicators had to act. They compiled all the fake news that was being broadcast and, together with the Xingu doctors, began to create quality content to counteract this fake news.
They began recording podcasts to be distributed via messaging apps such as WhatsApp, and village radios, which are passed around the community to keep those without internet access informed. Rede Xingu+ considers this the best way to value genuine communication and protect its people.
These podcasts have had a wide reach in the villages, and have been embraced by the indigenous people. The format has become an important form of communication between Rede Xingu+ and indigenous communities. Bulletins, videos, cards and even animations are also used.
In addition to learning about indigenous cultures, the media and communication agencies should be concerned with how they represent these peoples in their reporting and advertising.
Sília Moan states that this representation has changed a lot over the years. These days one may find articles in major newspapers and news portals which are not only about indigenous people, but also written by indigenous people, which is a major step. However, some outlets still approach the topic from a position of prejudice – an unfortunate situation which urgently needs addressing.
One of the steps Moan took was to work with communicators on guidelines for local and national media, to present their views of the world and break down harmful stereotypes.
Media outlets, companies and agencies can help by supporting the spread of genuine, high-quality content in the media, including indigenous people in advertisements and working on representation to combat internal prejudice. These steps are important for preserving the culture and ways of life of indigenous people in Brazil.
