I was asked by The Nature Conservancy to make a short film & photo essay highlighting the fact that indigenous communities are the best stewards of their land and one of the best hopes of preserving the Amazon. After two days of travelling by plane, jeep and boat I arrived in Sao Felix, a humble town on the extended banks of the Amazon. Thousands of indigenous people from 10 ethnic groups gathered together to raise awareness of their plight. The balance between celebrating their heritage and the exploitation of their culture seemed something that didn’t rest easy with me. The exhausted faces in the coaches seemed to long for a home they weren’t sure how to protect, but came to preserve.
