Breaking from Tradition, Indigenous Women Lead Fight for Land Rights in Brazil

Apr 29, 2019 | Anthony Boadle
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Brazil’s indigenous women have been overturning tradition to step into the spotlight and lead an international push to defend their tribal land rights, which are up against the greatest threat they have faced in years under right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazil’s 850,000 indigenous peoples live on reservations that make up 13 percent of the territory. Bolsonaro has said they live in poverty and he wants to assimilate them by allowing development of their vast lands, currently protected by law.

The tribal leaders are fighting back - in many cases, led by women. Traditionally, indigenous cultures excluded women from leadership roles that were played by male tribal chieftains. 

But that is changing, said Joenia Wapichana, who last year became the first indigenous woman elected to Brazil’s Congress and has been seeking to block Bolsonaro’s attempts to dismantle the indigenous affairs agency Funai.