The entire world knows by now how urgently the Amazon rainforest needs protection from the ravages of destruction, deforestation, Western invasion and settlement. One might say, from capitalism itself. And now from a pandemic against which the Indigenous peoples have little to no defense.
“The Shaman’s Message” is a short (just over two minutes), newly released video that is at the same time a beautiful work of art, a capsule analysis of the economics of the Amazon region, and a passionate appeal for attention. It can be viewed here. It is a human and ecological wake-up call no conscious citizen of the world should ignore. The health and fate of Planet Earth are at stake. Who will care?
The text is in Portuguese, but thanks to our contributor Peter Lownds’s accurate and poetic translation, we are offering this bilingual version for our readers to follow. We suggest you read this first, before viewing, by way of preparation, and then you may wish to view it again.
Ei! Olhe para mim
Hey! Look at me
Estamos vendo vocês
We’re looking at you
Nós tentamos te mostrar mas vocês nunca aprenderam nossa língua
We tried to show you, but you never learned our language
Vocês só olham para baixo
You’re always looking down
Estamos avisando vocês desde o começo:
We’ve been warning you since the beginning:
Essa terra é viva, essa terra nunca terá dono, porque nós somos a terra
This earth is alive, this earth cannot be owned, because we are the earth
Todos nós
All of us
Mas vocês queriam as pedras, o ouro, suas mercadorias
But you wanted the stones, the gold, your merchandise
Títulos, Bandeiras, Lucros
Titles, Flags, Profit
Vocês chamam isso de progresso
You call this progress
Tentamos te ensinar
We try to teach you
Mas vocês são gananciosos demais
But you are too greedy
primitivos demais
too primitive
selvagens demais
too savage
para entender
to understand
Ei! Agora vocês trazem outra doença para os Yanomami
Hey! Now you’re bringing the Yanomami another disease
E de novo estamos morrendo por causa disso
And once more we’re dying because of it
E as terras indígenas virando cinzas e lama
And the Indigenous lands turning to ashes and mud
Cinco séculos e vocês nunca enxergaram o que estamos mantendo no lugar o próprio céu
In five centuries you never noticed that we are the ones holding the sky in place
Suas cidades já podem ver, suas colheitas já podem ver, seus filhos já podem ver
Your cities notice it, your crops notice it, your children notice it
Dá para ver nos seus pulmões
Your lungs notice it too
Ei! Respira fundo, abra seus olhos e olha para cima!
Hey! Breathe deep, open your eyes and look up!
Você consegue ver?
What do you see? [A closeup of the shaman’s face]
Ajude o povo Yanomami sustentar o céu!
Help the Yanomami people hold up the sky!
CONTRIBUTOR
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