Born in the Colombian Amazon, Juan Carlos Galeano bridges poetry, academia, and environmental activism with rare authenticity. His work, including "Folktales of the Amazon" and poetry inspired by Amazonian cosmogonies, reveals the intricate relationships between Indigenous, mestizo, and Afro-descendant communities and the forests, rivers, and beings they share their lives with. At Florida State University, Galeano teaches Latin American poetry while directing "Journey into Amazonia," a field program in the Peruvian Amazon where students engage directly with local communities and environments rather than just studying them from afar. We caught up with Juan Carlos at the FOLIO Festival in Óbidos, Portugal, where his book "Amazonia" has just been translated into Portuguese, further extending the reach of these essential Amazonian perspectives. . Official website for FOLIO - Obidos International literary Festival: https://foliofestival.com/ . Learn more about Juan Carlos Galeano’s work: https://myweb.fsu.edu/jgaleano/ . WATCH a video version of this interview or READ transcripts in English and Portuguese here: https://azimuthworldfoundation.org/insights/entry/stories/jcgaleano.html . AZIMUTH WORLD FOUNDATION - JOIN THE CONVERSATION: - WEBSITE: https://www.azimuthworldfoundation.org - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/azimuthworldfoundation - THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@azimuthworldfoundation - FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/azimuthworldfoundation - LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azimuth-world-foundation/
Nascido na Amazónia colombiana, Juan Carlos Galeano move-se entre a poesia, a academia e o activismo ambiental com uma autenticidade única. A sua obra, incluindo Contos Amazónicos e poesia inspirada nas cosmogonias amazónicas, revela as intrincadas relações entre comunidades indígenas, mestiças e afrodescendentes com as florestas, os rios e os seres com quem partilham a vida. Na Florida State University, Galeano ensina poesia latino-americana e é responsável por Journey into Amazonia, um programa de campo na Amazónia peruana, onde os alunos interagem directamente com as comunidades e os ambientes locais. Conversámos com Juan Carlos no Festival FOLIO, em Óbidos, Portugal, onde o seu livro Amazónia acaba de ser traduzido para português, ampliando ainda mais o alcance destas perspectivas essenciais sobre a Amazónia. . Website Oficial FOLIO - Festival Literário Internacional de Óbidos: https://foliofestival.com/ . A edição portuguesa de “AMAZÓNIA – Antologia e novos poemas” está disponível em: https://amariposa.net/amazonia-juan-carlos-galeano/ . VEJA a versão em vídeo desta entrevista ou LEIA a versão escrita em Português ou Inglês aqui: https://azimuthworldfoundation.org/insights/entry/stories/jcgaleano.html . AZIMUTH WORLD FOUNDATION: - WEBSITE: https://www.azimuthworldfoundation.org - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/azimuthworldfoundation - THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@azimuthworldfoundation - FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/azimuthworldfoundation - LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azimuth-world-foundation/
It’s an honor to share our conversation with Verenilde Pereira, a pioneering voice of Afro-Indigenous literature and journalism in Brazil. Born in Manaus in 1956, the daughter of a black mother and an Indigenous Sateré Mawé father, Verenilde’s personal history embodies the complexities of Amazonian identity. A journalist, researcher, activist and writer, Verenilde has dedicated her life to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities in the Amazon. Her novel "An Endless River", published in 1998 and recently rediscovered and acclaimed, is considered a founding work of Afro-Indigenous Brazilian literature. Through the lives of four female characters, Verenilde portrays the devastating impact of a religious mission on a traditional community. With a PhD in Journalism and Society from the University of Brasilia, her thesis on the media coverage of the Waimiri-Atroari conflict denounced the deep and recurring media bias against traditional communities, through a work that reflects her commitment to challenging dominant narratives and amplifying voices that have almost been silenced. We’re very excited to talk to Verenilde at FOLIO festival, where we took part in a round table on “World Configurations". At Azimuth World Foundation, we want to highlight the importance of Indigenous knowledge in creating solutions to global challenges. Verenilde Pereira's perspectives and work can help us in this mission, and offer valuable lessons on how we can build bridges across different kinds of knowledge. . Official website for FOLIO - Obidos International literary Festival: https://foliofestival.com/ . WATCH the video version of this interview or READ transcripts in English and Portuguese here: https://azimuthworldfoundation.org/insights/entry/stories/verenilde.html . AZIMUTH WORLD FOUNDATION - JOIN THE CONVERSATION: - WEBSITE: https://www.azimuthworldfoundation.org - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/azimuthworldfoundation - THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@azimuthworldfoundation - FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/azimuthworldfoundation - LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azimuth-world-foundation/
É uma honra falar com Verenilde Pereira, voz pioneira na literatura e jornalismo afro-indígena do Brasil. Nascida em Manaus em 1956, filha de mãe negra e pai indígena Sateré Mawé, Verenilde personifica na sua própria história as complexidades da identidade amazónica. Jornalista, investigadora, activista e escritora, Verenilde tem dedicado a sua vida a dar voz às comunidades marginalizadas da Amazónia. O seu romance "Um Rio Sem Fim", publicado em 1998 e recentemente redescoberto e aclamado, é considerado uma obra fundadora da literatura afro-indígena brasileira. Nele, através das vidas de quatro personagens femininas, Verenilde retrata o impacto devastador de uma missão religiosa sobre uma comunidade tradicional. Doutorada em Jornalismo e Sociedade pela Universidade de Brasília, a sua tese sobre a cobertura mediática do conflito Waimiri-Atroari denunciou a profunda e recorrente violência mediática contra comunidades tradicionais, um trabalho que reflete o seu compromisso em desafiar narrativas dominantes e amplificar vozes que foram, quase, silenciadas. Estamos muito entusiasmados por poder falar com Verenilde no FOLIO, onde participámos na mesa-redonda "Configurações de mundos”. Na Azimuth World Foundation, queremos ajudar a sublinhar a importância do conhecimento indígena na criação de soluções para os desafios globais. A obra, as perspectivas e trabalho de Verenilde Pereira podem ajudar-nos na nossa missão, e oferecem-nos lições valiosas sobre como podemos construir pontes entre diferentes formas de conhecimento. . Website Oficial FOLIO - Festival Literário Internacional de Óbidos: https://foliofestival.com/ . VEJA a versão em vídeo desta entrevista ou LEIA a versão escrita em Português ou Inglês aqui: https://azimuthworldfoundation.org/insights/entry/stories/verenilde.html . AZIMUTH WORLD FOUNDATION: - WEBSITE: https://www.azimuthworldfoundation.org - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/azimuthworldfoundation - THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@azimuthworldfoundation - FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/azimuthworldfoundation - LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azimuth-world-foundation/
Over the last 30 years, the emergence of contemporary Indigenous literature in Brazil has become a fundamental act of re-existence. While the preservation of Indigenous Peoples’ territorial rights remains the most visible aspect of their struggle in Brazil, this fight would be incomplete without defending their intangible heritage. Their worldviews, their symbols, their ancestral knowledge. In this realm, the flourishing of Indigenous literature plays a vital role. Our guest for this episode, Kaká Werá, stands as one of the pioneers and most influential voices in this movement. A writer, educator, and public speaker, he has dedicated over three decades to preserving and sharing Indigenous traditional knowledge. Author of 16 books, including award-winning works like the “Land of 1000 Peoples” and “Thunder-Boy”, his work has been crucial both in strengthening Indigenous communities, and helping non-Indigenous society recognize the fundamental value of cultural diversity. We had the privilege of speaking with Kaká during FOLIO, the Óbidos International Literary Festival, where he presented his latest book, “Tekoá: The Art of Good Living”, a work that distills the ancestral Tupi Guarani philosophy of living well. During the festival, we also joined him for a round table discussion on World Configurations, exploring how Indigenous worldviews can shape our imagination of possible futures. Our conversation not only traces his literary journey, but also offers deep insights into how ancient Indigenous wisdom can light the way forward through humanity's contemporary challenges. . Official website for FOLIO - Obidos International literary Festival: https://foliofestival.com/ . WATCH a video version of this interview or READ transcripts in English and Portuguese here: https://azimuthworldfoundation.org/insights/entry/stories/kakawera.html . AZIMUTH WORLD FOUNDATION - JOIN THE CONVERSATION: - WEBSITE: https://www.azimuthworldfoundation.org - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/azimuthworldfoundation - THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@azimuthworldfoundation - FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/azimuthworldfoundation - LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azimuth-world-foundation/