Health In Harmony in the Xipaya Indigenous Territory

The Xipaya Indigenous Territory is located in the municipality of Altamira, Pará state, in an area rich in biodiversity and extremely important for the conservation of the Amazon forest called Terra do Meio. Covering approximately 179,000 hectares, the Territory encompasses six villages and is an inspiring history of resistance.

Kwazady Xipaya, also known as “Ney,” is one of the Indigenous leaders, chief of the Tukamã village, father of five and a teacher, as is his wife Warawara Xipaya, known as “Sadrina,” Both of them are dedicated to passing on the knowledge they have acquired together with nature and in academic life to the younger generation, from a perspective of valuing culture and ancestral wisdom.

Like those who came before them, Ney and Sadrina live in direct contact with the forest, in a relationship that is deeply intertwined with the traditions passed down for generations. Their struggle is for the conservation of the environment and the communities that have lived on this land for centuries, resisting relentless threats of exploitation and “development” that continue to this day, ever more aggressively. They are driven by their commitment to the various forms of life in the forest and to ensuring that those who will come after them will have their rights taken care of.

“Strategies must ensure that cultural values are not lost to capitalism,” explains Ney, who advocates investments in health and sustainable practices, as well as intergenerational dialogue: "Without dialogue between young and old, everything will be lost. We need new communication strategies to keep young people engaged in preserving Indigenous wisdom."

The Brazilian branch of Health In Harmony, SAMA-HIH, has been working in the Xipaya region since 2020, radically listening to communities like Ney and Sadrina’s and supporting their solutions for planetary health. The solutions include a health fund, the strengthening of forest economies - for example, by supporting a Brazil nut factory in the region - and the development of a traditional medicine center.

When HIH's co-CEO, Ashley Emerson, was recently invited to visit the Xipaya Territory, the pair of educators shared their reflections on their community's deep bond with their land, as well as solutions for preserving their culture, well-being and harmonious relationship with the forest.

Watch the video below to hear Ney and Sadrina's perspective first-hand.