The vulnerability of the Panará indigenous people to contamination of surface waters

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the socio-environmental risks linked to water resources in the Panará indigenous land. The results show the vulnerability of the Panará people in relation to the position of the indigenous land in the sub-basin and the context of land use and occupation in the area. The research started from the analysis of two episodes of alteration of the water quality of the Iriri River, registered by Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) and which are still being monitored in research at the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory of the University of Campinas (Unicamp), in addition to the observation and reports of the indigenous people. During a field trip, five leaders were interviewed. Subsequently, the transcription of the recordings was analyzed qualitatively. In addition, ethnographic research conducted with the Panará people by two authors allows us to address aspects of the group's life and its relationship with the river, as well as to point out how this people was the victim of State violence that needs to be redressed. Spatial data on land ownership structures, irregular occupations and deforestation in the sub-basin area up to 2023 were spatialized to support the analysis. It concluded on the need for the Brazilian State to prioritize the concept of basin and sub hydrographic basin in the demarcation and protection of indigenous lands, revealed that public lands, not designated, are part of the problem, resulting from the neglect of the State in relation to the uncontrolled use and occupation of public lands in the union.

Keywords: Demarcation of indigenous lands; Iriri river drainage area; Land use and occupation.