By Ezekiel Maben

On Feb. 3, Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, a shaman and spokesman for the Yanomami people, came to Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) to discuss Yanomami self-determination and sovereignty. 

A large crowd gathered on SIPA’s 15th floor to see Davi, alongside his son, Dario Kopenawa, and curator of the new exhibition “The Yanomami Struggle,” Thyago Nogueira. The panel was moderated and introduced by Gustavo Azenha, Executive Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies (ILAS). Davi and Dario spoke in Portuguese. ILAS provided English interpretation over headphones. 

Davi’s visit came a week after the Brazilian government opened an investigation into a potential genocide against the Yanomami caused by years of neglect by the Bolsonaro government and aggressive actions by illegal gold miners. 

Yanomami territory has been delineated since the early 1990s, but unresponsive authorities and negligent policies have allowed the continued destruction of Yanomami land and the spread of infectious disease among the Indigenous community. 

“I brought you this message so that you can feel it. So that you can recover the will to heal the health that has been destroyed. My children need medicine. Without it, we will not get well. The authorities in Brazil have responsibilities. They have a responsibility to take care of us,” Davi said.

After the talk, several people lined up to ask the speakers questions – ranging from the spiritual aspects of nature to the efficacy of gold boycotts. 

“The role of our generation is to get to know each other and understand each other,” Dario said, noting the importance of dialogue and solidarity in Yanomami liberation. 

The speakers asked those willing to donate to provide medicine for the ongoing epidemics in the Yanomami community. 

Azenha called the event a “huge success” given that turnout was significantly higher than anticipated. He shared that he hoped that ILAS would have the opportunity to continue to organize collaborative events between Indigenous communities, artists, and academics. He also encouraged those interested to view “The Yanomami Struggle.”

Ezekiel Maben (MPA-ESP ‘23) is a staff writer studying Environmental Science and Policy. He is passionate about conservation policy and its intersection with human rights.