The indigenous struggle- A look at three South American films on water rights

This past weekend was the only international film festival on water, worldwide—Voices from the Water, held in Bangalore in several different locations. Working for a water NGO, I made my schedule free to catch up on some of these movies, to understand what the current issues are and what the film circle is capturing through their lens that we don’t necessarily see from our biased eyes.

With an open mind and no expectation, I selected a few flicks t

o see—all related to Indigenous rights in South America. I did see the parallel between the struggle for water for those that needed it the most, but was keen to learn more. A few facts lingered in my mind about the indigenous populations all over the world: 1. They have a deep respect for the land, for nature, for mother earth and father water 2. For centuries, they have been marginalized by many different interest groups 3. They are decreasing in numbers, as their cultures are dying out due to migration to the cities and poverty, including poor healthcare and lack of education infrastructure. So what did these three movies teach me additionally about water and the indigenous struggle? Well for starters, it made me question who really does own the water?—rivers, lakes, streams. In

Owners of the Water: Conflict & Collaboration Over Rivers

A bit more direct on ownership, the next film,

Life for Sale

The second thing these films made me realize was despite how battered and gentrified the Indigenous communities have been, their belief in their traditions and ways have created some of the strongest bonds of any societal group that could have existed. This fact was evidenced in the final film,

Voice of the Mapuche

By the time the three movies were complete, I had felt a bit lacking, not only asking why there was not more of a focus or a teaching of how these tribes respected water, but also personally, wondering why I had never joined a

n indigenous people’s protest, knowing all this was going on.

Finally, I think the overarching learning here was that the struggle  the Xavante, the Wayuu, the Mapuche, or any indigenous community was facing is a common struggle. Whether it is a tribe in Orissa, or a tribe in Argentina, people are fighting mining conglomerates, fighting industrial pollution, and fighting the stripping of their lands, their livelihoods. And this concept of a common struggle, is definitely a theme that can get us, the rest of us, moving. Educating each other about a common struggle, a common voice, is a gift that we can give just by sharing. Because sharing and educating lead to action. Then maybe we can get to a place where we value humanity over profit. After all, as a Xavante leader said, “We are brothers. We share the same blood.”

Image Credits: Friends of the Earth International

Right: http://narede.clicrbs.com.br/