The Kayapo (Mebêngôkre), guardians of the forest

With over 12,000 people, the Mebêngôkre people, meaning people from the water, more commonly known as the Kayapó, have inhabited and protected for decades a vast region of the Amazon rainforest stretching from northern Mato Grosso to southern Pará, particularly in the Rio Xingu valley, covering over 13 million hectares, equivalent to the area of Greece.

Kayapó

Kayapó is a word from the Tupi language meaning "like monkeys," given by other ethnic groups and eventually adopted by the indigenous people when they began to be called this way due to a traditional body painting.

The Panará

About a century ago, they were not the only Kayapó in Brazil. About a thousand kilometers away, in the region stretching from northern São Paulo to southern Goiás, lived the Southern Kayapó people, ancestors of the Panará people.

Although the name is the same, there was never much of a relationship between the ancestors of these peoples. In the early 20^th century, this group almost disappeared, and the few survivors of the Panará migrated to northern Mato Grosso, where they became neighbors of the Mebêngôkre.

Today, there are estimated to be about 500 Panará living in the indigenous territory of the same name.

Lifestyle

In the Kayapo community, there is a chief per village whose main function is to coordinate all activities and transmit knowledge to the young to ensure continuity.

Despite their characteristic communal lifestyle, women and children are separated from men. They have their own way of life, rituals, and way of experiencing things.

They practice shifting cultivation, hunting, fishing, and gathering wild fruits. They travel by canoe along the forest rivers, using hand-carved canoes to access resources.

They have a social organization based on solidarity and collective decision-making.

Their dwellings are primarily built from wood and palm leaves, organized to facilitate communal life in a kind of circular camp, with the Ngab at the center, a place where women gather to organize daily activities and men discuss politics or do crafts.

Cultural richness

Traditionally, the Kayapo do not wear clothes, but adorn themselves with body paint or jewelry with significant symbolism. Kayapo culture is rich in traditions, songs, and dances. Their colorful costumes and body paintings are unique artistic expressions reflecting their deep connection with nature.

Kayapo jewelry are works of art in themselves. They are often made from natural materials such as bird feathers, seeds, shells, and animal teeth. These colorful and elaborate jewels are worn with pride, reflecting the importance of culture and nature in the lives of the Kayapo.

Media coverage

The Kayapo people have been mainly known to the general public since the media coverage of Chief Raoni in the late 1970s, with local media making him a natural standard-bearer for the struggle to preserve the Amazon rainforest.

He gained international recognition following a meeting with the singer Sting, thus encouraging the creation of numerous foundations to preserve their territories.

Chief Raoni is immediately recognizable by the traditional labret that distends his lower lip and which he wears with great pride. Subsequent generations have not maintained this custom, making the chief one of the very last men with lip plates known in the world.

Although over 90 years old, he continues the fight against deforestation and for the recognition of indigenous rights in Brazil, participating in some international meetings (UN, COP…), regularly meeting world leaders while managing to maintain stoicism, distance, dignity, and his way of life, living in a simple hut.

A harmonious coexistence

The Kayapo embody a harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. Their commitment to preserving the Amazon and their inspiring culture remind everyone of the importance of protecting our environment for future generations.

You can find more information on the website of the Chinese and Ethnographic Art Museum

Discover our jewelry from Kayapo artisans

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