2023-07-07 15:47:00
In a conversation circle, with a camera and a cell phone in front of him, the connoisseur Basílio José Dias, traditional name Urêmiri, of the Tukano people, tells stories of indigenous knowledge in his language and in Portuguese. The members of Rede Wayuri of Indigenous Communicators listen attentively and collectively conduct the interview.
From there, the challenge begins to think about how to transform the content into photos, texts, audios, videos to be shared within the indigenous territory of Rio Negro and abroad, reaching audiences beyond the Amazon.
Knowledgeable Basílio Dias, from the Tukano people, was interviewed by the communicators and spoke about the culture of his people|Ana Amélia Hamdan/ISA
This was one of the activities carried out at the Wayuri Technical Workshop – Abaré, between the 20th and 29th of June, at the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) Telecenter. Conducted by the collective Abaré Escola de Jornalismo, from Manaus, it was carried out by ISA and the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of Rio Negro (Foirn), with the support of Nia Tero and Diálogo Brasil.
The moment is special. The Wayuri Network has just gone through an increase in the number of scholarship holders and, in the workshop, this group was able to meet and exchange experiences. Until 2022, the Rio Negro collective of indigenous communicators had five fellows working from São Gabriel da Cachoeira, also receiving support from volunteers and collaborators.
In 2023, the Wayuri Network now has 18 fellows, who work in urban areas and communities, reinforcing the representation of all regions of the Rio Negro territory and also counting on the important work of volunteers.
In January, the Wayuri Network meeting brought together fellows and volunteers, but now the workshop is aimed at a smaller group. New formations will continue to happen.
Foirn’s CEO, Marivelton Barroso, from the Baré people, was at the workshop to greet the communicators. “The work of communicators has shown itself to be increasingly important, taking information inside and outside the territory. And we want the training workshops to also reach the communities”, he stated.
Communicators from the five FOIRN coordination offices participated in the workshop: Caimbrn (Coordination of Indigenous Associations of the Middle and Lower Rio Negro), Caibarnx (Coordination of Indigenous Associations of the Upper Rio Negro and Xié), Coidi (Coordination of Indigenous Associations of the District of Iauaretê), Diawii (Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Tiquié, Uaupés and Affluents) and Nadzoeri (Baniwa and Koripako Organization).
The Wayuri Network is a diverse indigenous communication collective, with members from various ethnic groups. Among the group of fellows, there are indigenous peoples of the Tukano, Wanano, Baré, Piratapuya, Yanomami, Baniwa, Tariano and Hupd’äh peoples. Many produce content in indigenous languages. The group is linked to Foirn and has a partnership with ISA.
One of the founders and coordinator of the Wayuri network, Cláudia Ferraz, from the Wanano people, considers that this is an important moment for the Wayuri Network, with the expansion of scholarship holders and the training workshop. “Each year, since the first workshop, we have been seeking this strengthening. Now we are succeeding,” she said.
She explains that the objective of the Wayuri Network is to promote indigenous communication, taking information inside and outside the territory, considering the cultural diversity and the realities of Rio Negro, with the production of content also in indigenous languages. “This is only possible with the participation of you, the communicators who are at the grassroots level”, she said during the workshop.
Cláudia Ferraz, from the Wanano people, one of the founders and coordinator of the Wayuri network, talks about narratives from her experience|Ana Amélia Hamdan/ISA
Training together with Abaré was designed so that communicators could produce short texts, audios, photos and short videos, using mainly cell phones. The narratives range from territorial defense to cosmology, also giving visibility to FOIRN’s institutional agenda.
And the Wayuri Network itself is already training its members. Cláudia Wanano spoke with the communicators about the activities carried out and about the process for implementing communication products, such as the Papo da Maloca radio program and the Wayuri podcast.
These activities were followed in practice. On June 21, the workshop took place during the Papo da Maloca program itself, produced and conducted by Wayuri, aired every Wednesday, from 10 am to 12 pm.
Communicator José Paulo, Piratapuya people, interviewed the three Abaré journalists: Gabriel Veras, Ariel Bentes and Waldick Júnior. FOIRN director Janete Alves, from the Desana people, was also invited.
Communication in territories
Abaré is an itinerant communication school, which works to strengthen local journalism and combat misinformation, working in public schools and peripheral areas of Manaus. This is the first time that the group develops a work beyond the capital.
The chosen name – Abaré – is a word from the Aruak linguistic trunk that means friends. Remembering that Wayuri also has an indigenous name, from the Nheengatu language, which means collective work.
One of the founders of Abaré, journalist Gabriel Veras explains that the Wayuri partnership was already happening in other ways. In May, communicator Ray Baniwa and communicator Juliana Albuquerque, from the Baré people, participated in an Abaré meeting in Manaus that discussed disinformation and its effects on society.
Papo da Maloca welcomes Abaré journalists, director Janete Alves, Desana people, and Wayuri|Ana Amélia Hamdan/ISA Network communicators
“This work by the Wayuri Network in São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Santa Isabel do Rio Negro and Barcelos is essential. We are talking about people who know the territory, who are in that territory, who are indigenous and, therefore, know better than anyone how to dialogue, how to communicate with indigenous communities. Hence the richness of the Wayuri Network”, he underlined.
“And when Abaré comes to these workshops, with the participation of ISA and Foirn, it doesn’t come simply to bring knowledge, but to build something together. And this was also very clear with the engagement of the communicators”, said Gabriel Veras.
During the workshop, the communicators recorded the activities. Papo da Maloca was produced, the Your podcast and posts – videos, texts and cards – for the Instagram.
indigenous cinema
The meeting also had a session by Cine Japu – which promotes biweekly film screenings at the ISA Telecentre, with the participation of the Wayuri Network, with the producer Suellen Samanta, from the Baré people. With the presence of the communicators, the chosen film was True Spiritual Leadersdirected by indigenous filmmaker Alberto Álvares, from the Guarani people.
Anthropologist and filmmaker, Julia Bernstein – who was part of the film’s team – is in São Gabriel da Cachoeira and participated in a conversation after the screening. She considers that cinema can bring indigenous youth closer to their traditions.
“The audiovisual, which brings technology, which is of great interest to young people, can also reconnect young people with tradition. What Alberto does is the preservation of memory, the Guarani way of life and the history of the people”, commented Julia Bernstein.
Representing Decom/Foirn, Joelson Félix and Paulo Vítor Bastos brought content about equipment, digital security and care in the circulation of information. Actress and cultural producer Naiara Bertoli, an ISA consultant who monitors Wayuri’s work, brought theater techniques to support the communicators.
Communicator of the Tiquié river region, Euclides Holcim, from the Tukano people, liked the practices very much. Speaking the Tukano language, he explained that the practices in the workshop made him more confident to talk and do interviews whether in the indigenous language or in Portuguese. “Sometimes my heart is racing, but I managed to do the activities and I felt comfortable telling stories. For me it was very good, ”he said.
Euclides Holquim, Tukano people, João Alex Yanomami and Marcelo Córdoba, Tuyuka people, learn resources for editing on cell phones|Ana Amélia Hamdan/ISAMemory, territory and heritage
During the workshop, videos produced in the Memory, Territory and Intangible Heritage of Rio Negro project, developed by the Museum of the Person and Foirn, were shown. The Wayuri Network is a partner in the initiative, with podcast production and dissemination.
The communicator Juliana Albuquerque, from the Baré people, accompanied this project. One of the meetings took place in the district of Iauaretê. She recorded on video (https://www.instagram.com/p/CtzElwVsPb7/) the trip along the river, passing through rapids, showing the scale of the challenge faced by communicators.
Rariton Horácio, from the Baré people, also participated in the project in the Middle Rio Negro and reported that, based on the meetings, the Municipality of Santa Isabel do Rio Negro started to discuss the recognition of the Traditional Agricultural System of Rio Negro (SAT-RN) as cultural heritage of the municipality. The SAT-RN is already a national asset.
At the end of the Wayuri – Abaré workshop, a multicultural demonstration involved the participants: the communicators performed with traditional songs and dances. An improvised square dance was also organized, led by Cláudia Wanano and José Paulo. Quinampira was served – the traditional fish and pepper broth.
Meet the members of the Wayuri Network of Indigenous Communicators
Claudia Ferraz, Wanano people
Adelson Ribeiro, Tukano people
Suellen Samanta, Baré people
Deise Menezes Alencar, Tukano people (collaborator)
Kelson Melgueiro, Baré people
Shayra Cruz, Baré people
João Alex Lins, Yanomami people
André Meira, Tukano people
Euclides Holquim, Tukano people
Juliana Albuquerque, Baré people
Alvaro Socot, Hupdah people
José Paulo, Piratapuya people
José Baltazar, Baré people
Rariton Horacio, Baré people
Plínio Guilherme, Baniwa people
Laura Almeida, Baniwa people
Rosivaldo Miranda, Piratapuya people
Marcelo Córdoba, Tuyuka people
João Arimar, Tariano people
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