Documentary Films

Children of the Land (Mother Earth)


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From the Indians in Brazil series in the Video in the Villages collection
By Vincent Carelli
color, 18 min, 2000



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"Nature gives us everything for free," says a Yanomami chief - "all that nature asks in return is that we protect it." In Children of the Land, Brazilian Indian leaders discuss their careful and sustainable use of the land. The forest provides indigenous people with food, medicine and supplies, and they know that they have to preserve these for future generations. This is reflected in their sustainable lifestyle; the Ashaninka calendar, for example, measures seasons by the reproductive cycles of plants and animals so as to keep these populations healthy. The Baniwa make woven baskets for sale in department stores, and the Ashaninka harvest Mumuru, a plant product used in the cosmetics industry, for sale. However, both groups make sure not to abuse their resources for these ventures, and use them as a vehicle for promoting their culture.


other films from the Indians in Brazil series:
Who Are They?
Our Languages
Have a Nice Trip, Ibantu!
When God Visits the Village
A Different Story
The First Contacts
Our Territory
From the Other Side of the Sky
Our Rights