hing and protection. She is the mother of our races. Indigenous peoples have been losing their lives and the land they live on ever sinceEuropeans began colonizing 500 years ago. Most of them died from common Europeandiseases which made Indigenous people very sick because they had never had thesediseases before. A disease such as the flu could possibly kill an indigenous person becausehe/she has not been exposed to this disease before. Many Indigenous groups have alsobeen killed by settlers wanting their land, or put to work as slaves to harvest the resourcesof the forest. Others were converts to Christianity by missionaries, who forced them tolive like Europeans and give up their cultural traditions. Since we (the US and other countries) have been working with theIndigenous People and other rainforest protection agencies, we have learned many thingsabout the forest, including its ecology, medicinal plants, food and other products. It hasalso showed us how crucial it is for the Indigenous people of the rainforest to continuetheir daily and traditional activities because of their importance in the cycle if the rainforest(congo-online.com).One Indigenous man is leading the fight to preserve is home in the Amazonrainforest. Medicine man Davi Kopenawa Yanomami cures his brothers with the powerand spirit provided to him by a giant anaconda spirit that lives in the Amazon basin. Usinghallucinagenic powders to contact the spirit world, Davi, leader of the Yanomami Indians,is taking a modern approach to his quest. Davi is a prophet that sees his people, land andrain forest gods being swept towards exticntion. After tense pressure from Davi andfriends, the Brazillian government set aside 36,000 square miles for the Yanomamihomeland (McGirk, 83).Scientists have come to the conclusion the rain forests are potentially more valubleon a long-term basis. If left intact, an even larger standing biomass can be created. Todays biodiversity of the r...
