We awoke in the remote Brazilian town of Pimento Bueno this morning to an odd twist of fate. We anticipated that our entry point to the fabled Rio Roosevelt would be determined at a meeting in a tribal Cinta Larga village a few dozen miles away. But instead it was determined by tragic events in the nation’s capitol, Brazilia, a few thousands miles away.
Yesterday, hundreds of Amazonian Indians had gathered there to protest the government’s lavish spending on Brazil’s hosting of the 2014 World Cup soccer tournament, rather than on health & education services for native peoples. Ugly confrontations erupted — involving teargas, guns and even bows & arrows. Sadly, casualties resulted.
Overnight the tension rippled to our village. Among the protestors were Cinta Larga chiefs, including our key contacts. This morning federal police here in Pimento Bueno advised us not to enter their lands, even if they granted us a meeting. And so “Plan B” was put into play.
We continued down the highway towards a Rio Roosevelt entry point beyond the Cinta Larga reserve. A country road took us deep into rural Brazil. We passed expansive ranchlands cut from the jungle, sleepy farm towns, horse carts & friendly folks keen to point us in the right direction. But hours into our odyssey the road steadily deteriorated as long stretches of steamy jungle became more frequent and we finally got all 3 vehicles mired in a deep muddy quagmire.
Fortunately, a lorry piled high with farm workers on their way back to the “fazenda” happened along. In the dark, they helped extract us from our dilemma and alerted us to a nearby farmstead where an alternate river access might be available.
That quagmire brought another odd twist of fate because tonight we hit the jackpot at the “Rio Branco Fazenda.” Farm hands at this 30,000-acre ranch greeted us — 8 mud-caked surprise guests — with a warm welcome, a hot meal, warm showers, and a bunkhouse. They also alerted us that easy access is available through their farm fields to the Rio Branco, a jungle river that will take us to the Roosevelt. So with a little luck sometime tomorrow we will reach water’s edge.
Caros aventureiros,
Muito legal poder acompanhar a expedição daqui. Abraço a todos e em especial aos amigos Jacinto (“Brabo Jack” ou “Jack Brabo” rsrsrs) e Grande Ercílio. Que Deus os Abençõe.
Carlos Eduardo (Bala)
In fact the Indians protested against changes in land demarcation law. And won support of popular movements of homeless and protesters opposed to the World Cup (the government’s lavish spending…). Today, the demarcation of indigenous lands is an assignment of the Executive Branch, led by FUNAI (National Indian Foundation) and sanctioned by the Ministry of Justice and the President. By the new proposal, the demarcations will be an assignment of Congress, which has a strong agro-business lobby. Right now protests against the World Cup are taking place in front of the National Congress. No Indians.
Good luck to all, and good strokes.
By the way, the indian who shot the police office with an arrow was taken to the police station and then released, noting more.
Fabio, thank you for these corrections. The news received by the expedition team must have been rather incomplete.
Estamos acompanhando a viagem.
A aventura vai melhorar quando colocarem as canoas na água.
Boa remada.
Abraços,
Anna Virgínia e Gustavo.
Grande abraço a todos da expedição em especial aos meus amigos Hercílio e Jacinto. Toda a galera do xipanzada está ligada em vocês. Aproveitem para se divertirem e para adquirirem experiencia. Mandem noticias, e se der tirem uma foto de vocês aí e postem no blog.