Mother to Indigenous Youth
In Mother to Indigenous Youth, host Radzi Chinyanganya highlights Indigenous Arara youth and their connection to the Amazon Rainforest, which they consider their "mother." This video highlights the struggles of Indigenous communities, such as Maristela's, as they fight for the preservation of their culture and environment. Maristela expresses deep concern for the loss of their sacred forest, emphasizing how integral it is to their identity and survival. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
Lesson Express
Q: Maristela, an Arara youth, says, “We are worried because the forest is very important to us. The forest is our mother, she takes care of us, so we must take care of her...” What do you think Maristela means about the Amazon being a "mother" to the Arara people?
A: Student answers may vary. Students may discuss the symbolic meaning of the Amazon as a “mother,” providing sustenance, protection, and cultural identity for the Arara people. This metaphor emphasizes the deep, nurturing relationship Indigenous groups have with the environment and the urgency of preserving it.
Q: How might the destruction of the Amazon rainforest impact the Indigenous people living there?
A: Student answers may vary. Students could explore the possible consequences of deforestation and land exploitation on Indigenous communities, including loss of land, cultural erosion, and the disruption of their traditional way of life.
Q: Why do you think the Indigenous communities in Brazil feel that they must protect the Amazon?
A: Student answers may vary. Students may discuss the fundamental connection between Indigenous people and their land, seeing it not just as a resource but as an essential part of their survival, identity, and culture.
More Like This
In The Effects of Deregulation, host Radzi Chinyanganya explains how Brazil's deregulation policies have led to rapid deforestation in the Amazon. The government’s decision to lift restrictions on land use has allowed for the clearing of forests for agricultural expansion, logging, mining, and ranching. This video highlights the environmental consequences of this deregulation, focusing on the struggle between different groups, such as ranchers seeking land for cattle grazing and Indigenous populations fighting to protect their ancestral forests. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In The Effects of Deregulation, host Radzi Chinyanganya explains how Brazil's deregulation policies have led to rapid deforestation in the Amazon. The government’s decision to lift restrictions on land use has allowed for the clearing of forests for agricultural expansion, logging, mining, and ranching. This video highlights the environmental consequences of this deregulation, focusing on the struggle between different groups, such as ranchers seeking land for cattle grazing and Indigenous populations fighting to protect their ancestral forests. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.