On 25 January 2019, a tailing dam at the Córrego do Feijão iron ore mine suffered a catastrophic failure. When it broke a stream of toxic mud devastated villages and buries more than 300 people in no time.
The Pataxó Hã-hã-Hãe, a small indigenous village near Brumadinho, the epicenter of a mining dam collapse, saw their community profoundly affected by the disaster. The members of the tribe were highly dependent and deeply connected to the Paraopeba River, the most important in the basin affected by the dam rupture. For years, they had been using the river for rituals, to bath and wash their clothes.
So, when the flood of toxic mud killed the river, the Pataxó not only lost their main source of food, but also large part of their tangible and intangible culture.
The water is, indeed, the most important element for the Pataxó people. According to their mythology Txopai was the first Pataxó to appear on Earth and was born from a raindrop.
Today, the Pataxó are relocated to another territory, far from the river, where they struggle to adapt given many adverse situations and still face numerous problems including contamination of the water source and pressure from land grabbers and the communities around their village.
Chief Ãngohó and her husband Hayó are the leaders of the resistance in the Aldeia Katurãma community.
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Top view of the Patax community Aldeia Katur ma surrounded by the greenery of the forrest reserve and the border with a city s neighbourhood
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Hay Patax watches the area where the community tries to preserve the only water source inside their reserve perimeter The water source is being contaminated by sewage waters of the surrounding neighbourhoods br br Hay means sun in Patxoh language
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Chief ngoh hands a minutes of meeting to a members of the Aldeia Katur ma during a meeting at a congressperson s office at the Legislative Council of Minas Gerais province
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Chief ngoh is photographed talking to parliament member Beatriz Cerqueira from the Workers Party at the Legislative Council of Minas Gerais province
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Portrait of Chief ngoh in front of her temporary plastic sheeting tend at the Aldeia Katur ma br br goh means moon in Patxoh language br
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A group of indigenous people supporters of Brazilian former President 2003-2010 and presidential candidate for the leftist Workers Party PT Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gather at Pra a da Liberdade during a campaign rally in Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais Brazil on October 9 2022 br br Brazil s bitterly divisive presidential election will be decided in a runoff on October 30 between the far-right candidate and incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and the former union leader br br br Chief ngoh and other members of the Patax community at Pra a da Liberdade during a campaign rally of the leftist Workers Party PT presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais Brazil on October 9 2022 br
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Top view of the Paraopeba River S o Joaquim de Bicas Minas Gerais Brazil on Wednesday April 19th 2023
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A worker operates a fire hydrant to fill a water tank truck in as street of the S o Joaquim das Bicas village in Minas Gerais State Brazil on 19 September 2021 br br The village was one of the places affected by the failure of a mining tailing dam on January 2019 The toxic mud took over the Paraopeba River compromising the entire water supply for small food producers in the region
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A sign on the banks of the Paraopeba river with messages forbidding fishing activities swimming drinking or using the water for agriculture S o Joaquim de Bicas Minas Gerais Brazil on Wednesday April 19th 2023
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A man wears ornaments made out of natural elements during the celebrations of the Indigenous People s Day at the Aldeia Katur ma S o Joaquim de Bicas Minas Gerais Brazil on Wednesday April 19th 2023 br br Members of different tribes got together to celebrate their ancestrally and also to protest against the local authorities Many groups like the Patax the Xakriab and the Krenak amongst others demand that the authorities fulfil their constitutional rights to have basic access to water and land
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A group of indigenous people wearing ornaments dances and sings in a ceremony during the celebrations of the Indigenous People s Day at the Aldeia Katur ma S o Joaquim de Bicas Minas Gerais Brazil on Wednesday April 19th 2023 br br Members of different tribes got together to celebrate their ancestrally and also to protest against the local authorities Many groups like the Patax the Xakriab and the Krenak amongst others demand that the authorities fulfil their constitutional rights to have basic access to water and land
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Details of feet head ornaments cocar and music instruments laying on the grass prior a sports competition during the celebrations of the Indigenous People s Day at the Aldeia Katur ma in S o Joaquim de Bicas Minas Gerais Brazil on April 19th 2023 br br Members of different tribes got together to celebrate their ancestrally and also to protest against the local authorities Many groups like the Patax the Xakriab and the Krenak amongst others demand that the authorities fulfil their constitutional rights to have basic access to water and land
