Kayapo Women Lead the Way at the IV Indigenous Women March
“Our body is territory. We are the guardians of the planet, for the healing of the Earth.”
From August 5–9, 2024, more than 5,000 Indigenous women from across Brazil gathered in Brasília for the IV Marcha das Mulheres Indígenas under the theme: “Nosso corpo, nosso território: somos as guardiãs do planeta” — “Our body, our territory: we are the guardians of the planet.”
Among them, the Mebêngôkre-Kayapo women stood out for their powerful presence, uniting representatives from three regions across Pará and Mato Grosso. For the Kayapó, this march was more than symbolic — it was an opportunity to amplify urgent calls for the demarcation of the Kapôt Nhinore Indigenous Territory, ancestral home to the Kayapó and Yudjá peoples and birthplace of Chief Raoni.
photo: @prai.kayapo
Kayapo Leaders Meet with FUNAI in Brasília
On August 5, the delegation from the Instituto Raoni met with Joenia Wapichana, president of FUNAI, to discuss the progress of the Kapôt Nhinore demarcation process. Vice-president Kokonã Metuktire, daughter of Raoni, presented the communities’ demands and will carry the updates back to local leaders. FUNAI reaffirmed that the process is moving forward, with technical teams addressing all legal challenges.
Kayapó women also took the fight directly to Brazil’s halls of power. In a symbolic act before the National Congress, Kayapo leader Oé Kaiapó Paiakan, cofounder of ANMIGA, placed a feathered headdress on the head of Indigenous Congresswoman Célia Xakriabá — a gesture of respect, recognition, and ancestral unity.
A Week of Action and Solidarity
Throughout the week, the Kayapó women marched alongside thousands of other Indigenous women, carrying banners, chants, and the Carta Pela Vida e Pelos Corpos-Territórios (Letter for Life and Body-Territories) to the Praça dos Três Poderes. This document reaffirms their role as guardians of the forest, defenders of their bodies and lands, and protectors of future generations.
For the Kayapo, defending land is defending life. As Kokonã Metuktire emphasized, recognizing Kapôt Nhinore is recognizing the people who safeguard the forest — and the strength of the women who lead this fight in Brasília and beyond.
