Get to Know the Yanomami languages of the Amazon
The Yanomami languages are a group of closely related languages spoken by the Yanomami people, in southern Venezuela and in the northwestern Brazilian states of Roraima and Amazonas. There are thought to be around 30,000 speakers of the Yanomami languages.
Under the corrupt, fascist regime of Jair Bolsonaro, a combination of Covid-19 and illegal logging, drilling, and mining threatened the Yanomami on a daily basis.
These threats continue today.
Why learn the Yanomami languages?
Though Brazil’s indigenous peoples have come under renewed attack from the regime of Jair Bolsonaro, there are plenty of people from indigenous communities and organisations pouring their time into fighting for the rights of indigenous peoples and their languages.
One of the leading voices for both the Yanomami and for indigenous rights in general is Dário Kopenawa, along with Davi Kopenawa.
Socio Ambiental has recently published a video and ebook about the Yanomami languages, spoken by the Yanomami people in lands that stretch north and south of the border between Brazil and Venezuela. It’s also worth watching Maracá, a series produced by APIB, focusing on the threats faced by the indigenous peoples of Brazil.
For more information and useful links on the indigenous peoples of Brazil, the following post can be found on the How to Learn Languages website and YouTube channel :
Cover Image
Aerial View of Amazon Rainforest, near Manaus, Brazil
Photo by SRBR
Map
By Javierfv1212 - Own workMuturzikin.comServindi.org, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18395760
Resources for learning the Yanomami languages
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Videos
Yanomami - Língua Indígena do Brasil e Venezuela - MOPC Linguística
PUU NAKƗ THËÃ ONI: O conhecimento Yanomami sobre abelhas! - Instituto Socioambiental
Roda Viva : Davi Yanomami |1998 - Roda Viva
A Mensagem do Xamã | Fora Garimpo, Fora Covid - Instituto Socioambiental
The Shaman’s Message | Miners Out, Covid Out - Instituto Socioambiental
Não dá para dormir | Fórum de Lideranças Yanomami e Ye'kwana - Instituto Socioambiental
II Fórum de Lideranças Yanomami e Ye'kwana - Instituto Socioambiental
II Yanomami and Ye'kwana Leadership Forum - Instituto Socioambiental
Live | Fora Garimpo, Fora Covid da Terra Indígena Yanomami - Instituto Socioambiental
The Yanomami people are contaminated by mercury used in gold digging - Instituto Socioambiental
Viva Yanomami (Playlist) - Instituto Socioambiental
Casa Floresta (Playlist) - Instituto Socioambiental
Yanomami Stories (Playlist) - David Good
Povos Yanomamis : Indígenas pedem socorro - Jornalismo TV Cultura
Aliança em Defesa dos Territórios levanta sua voz contra o garimpo - Instituto Sociomabiental
Copiô, Parente (Playlist) - Instituto Socioambiental
Economia da Floresta (Playlist) - Instituto Socioambiental
Anápuáka Tupinambá : Culturas indígenas - Itaú Cultural
Maracá : Emergência indígena (Playlist) - APIBOFICIAL
Terra Yanomami celebra 30 anos da homologação - Instituto Socioambiental
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Books
by Helder Perri Ferreira, Estêvão Benfica Senra, Ana Maria Antunes Machado (Instituto Socioambiental and Hutukara Associação Yanomami)
The Falling Sky : Words of a Yanomami Shaman by Davi Kopenawa
A terra dos mil povos : História Indígena do Brasil contada por um índio
by Kaká Werá Jecupé
Tree of Rivers : The Story of the Amazon
by John Hemming
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Podcasts and Radio
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Articles
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How to Learn Portuguese eBook
The majority of the resources available for learning about the indigenous peoples of Brazil and their languages are in Portuguese.
One of the great things about learning Portuguese is that it makes learning about indigenous causes and languages easier - because Portuguese is the majority language in Brazil, and most of the resources are therefore in Portuguese.
If you're interested in learning Portuguese, How to Learn Portuguese will guide you through the process in a fast and fun way.
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