Amazonian Indian Shaman

Txemã, the primary cacique of the Matis tribe (left) with the author of this article (right). Txemã was a young man when the Matis first made contact with the outside world. He speaks no Portuguese or Spanish, only using his native Panoan language. Shortly before this photograph was taken, Txemã led a successful occupation of the local FUNAI station, thereby ousting the corrupt FUNAI head from his post. With the help of astute indigenous leaders such as Txemã, the face of the Brazilian Government's FUNAI is slowly changing to one more indigenous.

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