By Sr. Laura Vicuña Pereira

I come from a humble family of migrant parents who hid their Indigenous identity throughout their lives due to discrimination. Working directly with Indigenous peoples, witnessing the devastation of the Amazon, and seeing the commitment of the Church—especially grassroots church communities—helped me to claim my Kariri Indigenous identity.

My people were displaced from their traditional territory, so they had to redefine their way of being and coexist in a society that denies diversity.

My late mother — a simple yet wise woman and a great leader in the church and in social circles — taught me that “we are all the church; we are all equal, and therefore we must fight for a just world and a more inclusive church.” I learned how to work and promote community life, uniting faith, and service to the poorest of the poor — God's favourites.

Working with Indigenous peoples for over 25 years has broadened my perspective on their reality, the challenges they face, and the alternatives they seek to have a full life for all. I speak from my experience of living in the state of Rondônia, in the Brazilian Amazon, and working with the Karipuna people in the last seven years.

From the perspective of Indigenous peoples, the struggle for life, land and rights is a systemic issue. The Brazilian state is not interested in fulfilling its constitutional duty to demarcate, protect, and monitor Indigenous lands to ensure the physical, cultural, and territorial existence of Indigenous peoples. Backed by economic and political sectors with self-serving agendas, the Brazilian state is doing everything in its power to make Indigenous lands available to the market, particularly the agro-industrial sector, mining companies, and land grabbers. The historical enemies of Indigenous peoples are legitimized by the state’s failure to comply with the Federal Constitution and public policies on territorial oversight and protection.

The Amazon is a symbol of a woman, a feminine force with a fragile ecosystem that is vulnerable to predatory systems. Her sacred womb, her waterways, her forest rich in biodiversity, in its flora and fauna, and her network of villages that lived in a way that guaranteed the continuity of this living ecosystem have all been devastated. This ecosystem is vital for all humanity.

My experience as a missionary is closely tied to the struggles of Indigenous peoples defending their territories and rights. I have learned from simple women, including my late mother and other women, who made it possible for me to voice our struggles in defence of life, land, and rights. I would like to highlight Katiká Karipuna, a strong woman and charismatic woman who inspires her children and her people to continue to resist and fight for present and future generations.

There have been challenges along the way, most of which we overcame with the support of entities and organizations that stood alongside us in our struggle. This collective support enables us to continue fighting, without becoming discouraged and to continue denouncing ongoing violations of the right to life and land.

The Church in the Amazon is our ally in defending the land and the lives of the people. In the final document of the Amazon Synod, Indigenous peoples stated that “they want the Church to accompany them, to walk with them, and not to impose on them a particular way of being, a specific form of development that has little to do with their cultures, traditions and spiritualities. They know how to take care of the Amazon, how to love and protect it; what they need is for the Church to support them.”

Note: Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) supports the work of Jesuits in the Amazon. This fall, Sister Laura will visit Canada as guest speaker of CJI’s fall advocacy campaign, Women at the heart of justice.