“The forest is one big thing; it has people, animals, and plants. There is no point saving the animals if the forest is burned down; there is no point saving the forest if the people and animals who live in it are killed or driven away. The groups trying to save the races of animals cannot win if the people trying to save the forest lose; the people trying to save the Indians cannot win if either of the others lose; the Indians cannot win without the support of these groups; but the groups cannot win either without the support of the Indians, who know the forest and the animals and can tell what is happening to them. No one of us is strong enough to win alone; together, we can be strong enough to win.” – Paulinho Paiakan, Chief of the Amazonian Kayapo tribe
Paiakan is being remembered today for his tireless fight to save the Amazon rainforest from destruction. For decades, the Brazilian government has failed the people of the Amazon and its unique and fragile biosphere by capitulating to logging, mining and ranching interests.
Under the far right government of Jair Bolsonaro, the onslaught has only accelerated. This, along with climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, presents an existential threat to indigenous people in the region as well as the precious forest they depend upon, as well as protect.
Paiakan died on the 16th of this month after being hospitalized from complications related to Covid-19. May he rest in peace and in power, and may we continue to champion his struggle to protect our fragile biosphere.
Kenn Orphan June 2020
Kenn Orphan 
I champion that struggle by supporting the work of the Pachamama Alliance, https://www.pachamama.org/, who acknowledge from their founding that the wisdom to protect the Amazon is already and has always resided in the indigenous tribes of the region. RIP Paulinho Paiakan, and know that your work is appreciated and will continue.
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