“We are not defending nature. We are nature defending itself.” Social media put at the service of Brazil’s indigenous women leaders
We’re always interested in ways to “Tell The Story” and “Create The Feel” around transformational topics and interests.
Last week we covered Tyson Yunkaporta’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab. It was a fascinating cross-over between the power to express holism and interconnected thinking inherent in Australian indigenous cultures, and the crisis of business and organisations in an age of disrupted biospheres.
This week, we are fascinated by the environmental communications operation Earthrise Studio, who have launched an Instagram-first campaign about female indigenous Brazilian leadership called Choose Earth (website and Instagram).
It’s quite a schooling in how to do both affective (emotional) and effective media - the photographs of the women leaders are stunning, and their stories by the pictures pithy and powerful (here are some of the artists and photographers involved).
Brazil’s indigenous peoples need grassroots support in fighting for social justice and defending the natural systems on which we all depend.
Indigenous communities across Brazil face political attack, corporate pressure, territorial invasion, and the impacts of COVID-19 on a daily basis. Having reached this critical point in 2021, the stakes have never been higher.
Choose Earth has partnered with 64 indigenous leaders to assist in their collective resistance. These leaders are guardians of their communities, ecosystems and territories; tied to their homes by ancient beliefs and ancestral knowledge. Their land is their life.
Choose Earth is supporting 35 communities in 18 of the 26 states in Brazil: the Apurinã, Arara-Karô, Asurini, Baré, Fulni-ô, Guajajara, Guarani-Mbyá, Guarani-Kaiowá, Kaingang, Katukina, Kokama, Krahô, Kayapó, Manchineri, Marubo, Maxakali, Munduruku, Mura, Nambikwara, Pataxó, Pankararu, Sateré-Mawé, Shanenawa, Tapeba, Taurepang, Terena, Ticuna, Tupari, Tupinambá, Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau, Xacriabá, Xavante, Xerente, Waiãpi, Witoto.
The Choose Earth campaign is being directed by 9 nationally recognised Brazilian indigenous collective leaders who hold an ecosystem of intelligence on a regional, national and global level.
More here. And here’s a clutch of their Instagrams: