It is now exactly two years since I first accompanied guests to the Xingu Indian lands \u2013 an oasis of natural and cultural preservation of the Amazon \u2013 fulfilling a personal objective and dream.\u00a0\u00a0 See some of the pictures in the gallery to try to get a glimpse of what I was privileged to see!<\/p>\n\n
The Xingu National Park, created 50 years ago by the pioneering efforts of the Villas Boas Brothers, is the home of around six thousand Indians of over thirty different tribes, who in varyingdegrees, still lead a culturally preserved way of life.\u00a0\u00a0 Matuet\u00e9 has formed a relationship with one of the most interesting of these tribes \u2013 the Kamayur\u00e1 \u2013 and are now experimentally taking guests for a night or two with the Indians.<\/p>\n
When I first visited, I was incredibly lucky to be there for one of the most beautiful of all their Ceremonies \u2013 the Jawari \u2013 or War Games.\u00a0\u00a0 In this incredible twelve hour party \u2013 two tribes \u2018play-fight\u2019 each other in various different games.\u00a0 At the end of the Ceremony the men of one tribe dance with the women of the other tribe and then switch around, to make sure there are no hard feelings between them.\u00a0\u00a0 I can safely say that it was one of the most beautiful and moving rituals I have ever seen.<\/p>\n
Taking people to visit culturally preserved tribes is a controversial topic in tourism.\u00a0 Many argue that they should be left intact.\u00a0\u00a0 And we believe that those that still have not been contacted (and there are around 50 or so tribes like this in Brazil) should remain like this \u2013 and thankfully this the official government policy too.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But the Xingu peoples, have had regular contact with the white man for over 50 years.\u00a0 And the temptations to abandon tribal life and move to the cities are almost irresistible, especially for the younger people.\u00a0 How to prevent this is a foremost thought on any Xinguan Chief\u2019s mind.\u00a0 There are many demands from the members of the tribe for the Chief to provide them with some measure of modern comforts such as diesel for their motor-boats, radios, etc.<\/p>\n
Our partnership with the Kamayur\u00e1 tribe, aims to provide an important source of income (their other sources are selling jewellery or relying on donations) to the Indians to buy whatever cannot beproduced locally and they see as important for the tribe.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We are especially hopeful that this partnership will be successful and provide an interesting model for others, since the Chief of the Kamayur\u00e1s understands well that Cultural preservation is possibly their most valuable asset.\u00a0 Providing a revenue stream to reward this seems a good idea from everyone\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n
Visitation fees are kept high, and go straight to the Indians, so as to bring a reasonable income from a very limited number of visitors.<\/p>\n