Brazil

Brazil

Technologies and lifestyles respecting freshwater ecosystems

Since time immemorial, the Javaé indigenous people has maintained a profound bond with the Araguaia River which runs through the Cerrado biome. Over centuries, they have developed ingenious hydro-technologies for activities such as fishing, building wooden boats, and constructing canals and small dams for water conservation.

All technologies are rooted in the fair use of natural resources. At the core of Javaé’s water management paradigm lies a system of beliefs aimed at preserving natural habitats and sustaining biodiversity. By safeguarding aquatic ecosystems, they foster a worldview which recognizes the inter-connectedness of all living beings.

Today, however, Javaé’s lifestyles and technologies face a myriad of threats including impacts of large dams and unsustainable agricultural and mineral overexploitation, compounded by the effects of climate change.