Dear Jack,

Some years ago Survival’s Fiona Watson was staying in a Yanomami community and made this wonderful recording. (For the full binaural effect, enjoy through headphones.)

It’s not only filled with all the sounds of the rainforest – an abundance of bird life and insects – but also with the sounds of the people whose home it is.

Fiona was watching the Yanomami women pound the timbó vine to produce a poisonous sap, which when released into a river stuns the fish and makes them float to the surface to be caught. You can hear the noises in the recording.

The use of the timbó vine is just one of countless ingenious ways that tribal peoples such as the Yanomami make use of their forest and its abundance.

But these peaceful sounds have now been replaced by the roar of mining dredges and gunfire, and the peace and tranquility that Fiona captured are now just a distant memory for many Yanomami.

The last few years have witnessed a devastating invasion of thousands of gold-miners into their territory. Huge dredges scour the rivers and leave a wasteland behind; mercury used to extract gold causes devastating pollution and poisons the Yanomami and their unborn children; and armed criminal gangs have moved in, killing Yanomami who try to resist them, raping and murdering Yanomami women.

In short, this once-idyllic spot has become a nightmarish scene. This hasn’t happened by accident either – it’s a direct result of Brazilian government actions to encourage the plundering of Indigenous territories.

Not even those Yanomami who are uncontacted are safe. Miners have advanced to within a few miles of their homes, and Davi Yanomami has warned that they could soon be exterminated.

To find out more about how you can help the uncontacted tribes and what Survival International is doing to fight for their rights, register below to join us tomorrow for an online talk and Q&A with senior Survival campaigners. 

Los Angeles: 9.30am
New York: 12.30pm
London: 5.30pm

And please take action for the Yanomami now.

With thanks,

Jade Bridgwood
Supporter Services