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“The illegal gold that's leaving the Brazilian Amazon is the blood of the indigenous population.”
Junior Hekurari speaks a clear language. The president of the Yanomami Association and the Local Health Council for Indigenous Suburban Populations has come to Sharjah to focus international attention on the environmental disaster in Brazil.
Illegal gold miners are clearing rainforest there. And discharge the mercury needed for gold mining into the rivers. The toxic chemical poisons the fish and therefore also the people. As a result of the clear-cutting, the other hunting animals are also disappearing and hunger and malaria are spreading. More than 500 children have died in the last four years as a result of overexploitation.
“It's mainly the contamination of children under the age of one. Mainly those who are more vulnerable, when they are untreated and malnourished. so automatically if you catch malaria, you're dead in a matter of hours.”
The fight against illegal gold mining is a fight for both biodiversity and human rights. But it is taking place in isolation in the Amazon. In an area the size of Portugal.
Brazilian photographer Gabriel Chaim has set himself the task of shedding light on the dark machinations of the gold miners. Usually travelling in conflict zones in Gaza, Syria or Ukraine, he has also been documenting the destruction in the Yanomami region - and its consequences - for the past three years.
“I think the most important for me is to see how there is no rules when you talk about gold”, says Gabriel. “People are buying as much as they can. They are wearing golds everywhere without even thinking where this gold is coming from. Mostly the European countries don't have any clue how is the situation for people that are living under illegal gold mining. Like in the case of Yanomami. Children are dying, teenage girls are getting raped. They are getting pregnant by the miners. And sometimes when people buy a small ring in Germany or any other European country, they have no clue that this gold, it could come from the blood of some indigenous people all over Brazil. As like 90% of the gold from Brazil, it's come from the illegal mining.”
The Conservation Summit at the Xposure Festival includes a series of exhibitions and discussion panels to raise awareness of environmental issues. This year's 15 panellists include Melody, Karabo and Refuma from South Africa.
The three came to photography through the Wild Shots Outreach Programme. The initiative uses cameras to get previously disadvantaged young Africans interested in wildlife and nature conservation.
“It was amazing. I couldn't believe it that, okay, I'm holding a camera now as a female. So mostly it's from where I come from, it's mostly males who do the photography thing. So, I was so proud of myself and it was amazing”, Melody remembers.
After the workshop she has qualified as a nature guide. Despite growing up very close to Kruger National Park – a world-renowned safari destination – she never had the chance to see or enjoy its wildlife.
Karabo, who also took part in the programme, was even able to complete her training as a pilot.
“So my dream is to actually fly for conservation and fly for conservation in a sense where I am able to sort of put a footprint or sort of do some good in conservation. And yeah, that's that's one of the things that I really want to do. And I also believe that can only be achieved, not only be achieved, but that can also be achieved through photography. Because if we take the right photographs, it sends the conservation message out there.”
In its 8th and largest edition to date, “Xposure” brings together 400 photographers and exhibits 2500 images. Running until March 5.
VIDEO INFORMATION
Location: Sharjah/UAE and FILE
Date of shot: Feb 28 & 29, 2024 and FILE
SOURCE:
• Shots of Xposure exhibition, interviews and file footage of illegal gold mining: ENEX
• videos Melody Mnisi as nature guide: must credit “TikTok/Bushwoman”
• Shots of young South African photographers in Kruger National Park: must credit “Wild Shots Outreach”
SHOTLIST
Sharjah,UAE/ Feb 28, 2024
• SOT (Portuguese) Junior Hekurari, Yanomami tribe leader:
“The illegal gold that's leaving the Brazilian Amazon is the blood of the indigenous population.”
• Various shots of Junior Hekurari in Conservation Summit at Xposure International Photography Festival
FILE Brazil/State of Roraima
• Various shots of illegal gold mining in Yanomami region Sharjah,UAE/ Feb 28, 2024
• SOT (Portuguese) Junior Hekurari, Yanomami tribe leader:
“It's mainly the contamination of children under the age of one. Mainly those who are more vulnerable when they are untreated and malnourished. so automatically if you catch malaria, you're dead in a matter of hours.”
FILE Brazil/State of Roraima
• Various shots of illegal gold mining in Yanomami region Sharjah,UAE/ Feb 28, 2024
• Various of Gabriel Chaim and Junior in exhibition hall
• Various of Gabriel Chaim’s photographs
• SOT (English) Gabriel Chaim, photographer from Brazil:
“I think the most important for me is to see how there is no rules when you talk about gold. People are buying as much as they can. They are wearing golds everywhere without even thinking where this gold is coming from. Mostly the European countries don't have any clue how is the situation for people that are living under illegal gold mining. Like in the case of Yanomami.
Children are dying, teenage girls are getting raped. They are getting pregnant by the miners. And sometimes when people buy a small ring in Germany or any other European country, they have no clue that this gold, it could come from the blood of some indigenous people all over Brazil. As like 90% of the gold from Brazil, it's come from the illegal mining.”
Sharjah,UAE/ Feb 29, 2024
• Various of panel with Wild Shots Outreach fellows
FILE South Africa, Krueger National Park (must credit “Wild Shots Outreach”)
• Various shots of trainees in Wild Shots Outreach workshop Sharjah,UAE/ Feb 29, 2024
• SOT (English) Melody Mnisi, photographer and nature guide:
“It was amazing. I couldn't believe it that, okay, I'm holding a camera now as a female. So mostly it's from where I come from, it's mostly males who do the photography thing. So, I was so proud of myself and it was amazing.”
FILE South Africa, TikTok of Melody Mnisi (must credit “TikTok/Bushwoman”)
• Various shots of Melody Mnisi working as a nature guide in Krueger National Park
Sharjah,UAE/ Feb 29, 2024
• Various shots of Wild Shots Outreach exhibition at Xposure
• SOT (English) Karabo Magakane, photographer and pilot:
“So my dream is to actually fly for conservation and fly for conservation in a sense where I am able to sort of put a footprint or sort of do some good in conservation. And yeah, that's that's one of the things that I really want to do. And I also believe that can only be achieved, not only be achieved, but that can also be achieved through photography. Because if we take the right photographs, it sends the conservation message out there.”
• GV’s of Xposure International Photography Festival
1 March 2024
