This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Many tribes live entirely off their forests – hunting, gathering and fishing. They carry incredibly detailed mental maps of the land: its plants, animals and the best hunting places. Their land is vital to their very existence and holds a very deep spiritual significance. The land is being illegally invaded and projects like dams, roads, mining and agriculture are destroying a unique way of life. Indigenous people are all over Brazil are speaking out against these changes and fighting for their right to live on their ancestral lands in peace. Nixiwaka asks us to consider why a way of life that is designed to be entirely in tune with its environment and resources is being destroyed by a way of life that isn’t. Nixiwaka is from the Yawanawá tribe who live deep in the Amazon. He is working with the charity Survival International travelling around the UK to talk about his life in the Amazon, his people’s traditions and the threats that indigenous peoples are faced with in Brazil. About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

• published: 22 Dec 2014
• views: 1450