A People Who Resist Collectively: The Gathering of the Wai Wai

Wai Wai Indigenous people and the ACT-Brasil team | Photo: Ricardo Rey Londoño / ACT-Brasil Archive

Text by Méle Dornelas · Available in Portuguese. The Wai Wai are an Indigenous people who live across portions of the Guianas (Guyana and Suriname) and northern Brazil, especially in the south of Brazil’s Roraima state. Informal records link their name, which derives from the Karib language family, to the armadillo. The armadillo may be…

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How to protect isolated Indigenous peoples without harmful contact

Guardians of the Forest: Who are isolated Indigenous peoples?  In some of the most pristine and remote forests of the Amazon live Indigenous peoples who have little to no contact with the outside world. They have no cellphones, cars, or computers, but they hold deep knowledge of the forest and an interconnected relationship with the…

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Indigenous Women March for Territories and Life

Text by Méle Dornelas · Available in Portuguese. In August 2025, more than five thousand Indigenous women occupied Brasília, Brazil’s capital city, to advocate for their rights at the 4th Indigenous Women’s March. The mobilization culminated in the development of proposals for a National Policy Plan for Indigenous Women.  From August 3 to 7, 2025,…

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Indigenous Medicine Webinar: Five Takeaways from ACT-Brasil’s “Paths of Healing” Seminar

In a recent webinar, ACT-Brasil spotlighted the vital role of Indigenous medicine in today’s world. From scientific recognition to intercultural healthcare solutions, the “Paths of Healing” conversation explored how ancestral knowledge can and should transform public health practice and policy—and why investing in it is essential for people and the planet.  5 Highlights from the…

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The Jaguar: Guardian of the Amazon 

Jaguar

In the heart of the Amazon rainforest, one elusive and powerful creature reigns supreme—the jaguar. Known as el tigre in much of South America, the jaguar is more than just an apex predator. Jaguar conservation in the Amazon is essential for the health and resilience of Amazonian ecosystems. The jaguar is also a sacred being…

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