Chief Raoni Metuktire
Meet Chief Raoni
Activist
Amazon, Brazil
Chief Raoni Metuktire is a renowned Indigenous leader of the Kayapó people in Brazil, widely known for his efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest and Indigenous rights. Born in the early 1930s, he has spent decades advocating for environmental conservation and the preservation of his people's culture and lands. His activism gained global attention through his collaboration with figures like Sting and other international environmental campaigns. Chief Raoni is a symbol of Indigenous resistance and a prominent voice in the global fight against deforestation and climate change.
Areas of activity:
Conservation, Community Engagement
About:
Raoni, a charismatic leader of the Kayapo people, has spent four decades fighting to save the Amazon rainforest, risking his life for this invaluable world heritage. As a symbol of Indigenous tribes' fight to preserve their ancient cultures tied to nature, Raoni has bridged the gap between his people and the modern world, maintaining dignity while living simply.
Born around 1932 in Krajmopyjakare (now Kapôt), Raoni’s life changed when he met the Villas Boas brothers in 1954, learning Portuguese and gaining awareness of the outside world. His influence grew after meeting filmmaker Jean Pierre Dutilleux in 1973, whose documentary "Raoni" gained international success. With support from figures like Marlon Brando and Sting, Raoni's message of deforestation’s global threat reached millions.
In 1989, Raoni and Sting toured to raise awareness, leading to the creation of a large tropical forest reserve in 1993, with international support. Despite setbacks, Raoni continues to campaign against threats like the Monte Bello dam, hoping to protect the Amazon for future generations.
Involvement:
The Rainforest Organization
As an ecosystem, the Amazon is one of the most biodiverse places on earth. Over 3 million species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fish, and insects live in the rainforest, and over 2,500 tree species (or one-third of all tropical trees that exist on earth) help to create and sustain this vibrant ecosystem. However this ecosystem is fighting a constant battle against deforestation, with the Kayapo Peoples on the front lines. The Kayapo have successfully protected over nine-million hectares of their ratified indigenous territories, the protection of this vast territory for over two decades in the highly threatened and lawless southeastern Amazon is unparalleled.
For centuries the Kayapo peoples have taken care of the rainforest and nurtured its biodiversity. The great chief Raoni honoured this tradition by taking the fight against deforestation to the world stage, thus becoming an international symbol of the protection of biodiversity worldwide.
To this day, Rainforest Organization is working closely with Raoni and the Kayapo peoples to preserve the biodiversity of the Amazon, most recently through a cooperation with UNESCO seeking to obtain recognition of the Xingu region as an official UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.