Bixa orellana, or annatto to the English-speaking food industry, is a tree giving a wonderful and widespread dye. Its red seeds (pictured), once processed, are often used for the yellowing of cheese, smoothies, cereals and other food stuffs.
Being a plant native to South America among other places, it also brings colour to tribal peoples. This photograph was taken in Brazil where many tribes turn the seeds into body paint for rituals, celebrations and general beautification.
Vedanta Resources, the British-based resources firm, faced a whirlwind of criticism in recent weeks. Coverage of its attempted installation of a mining facility in the hillside home of Indian tribal peoples has swept the web and beyond.
The Dongria Kondh live in the Niyamgiri Hills of Orissa, India. The planned mine will strip them of their livelhoods, culture and religious heartlands.
Survival has just launched a campaign in defence of these people as the Indian Supreme court prepares to announce their fate.
Various British newspapers acknowledged the ‘social and environmental catastrophe’ on the drawing board:
Indian magazine Tehelka tells the troubling tales of similar Vedanta projects in the past that caused the sort of destruction now on the cards.
A number of colourful videos from human rights organisations highlight the campaign and cultural stories. Action Aid offer a fascinating account of the push to have Vedanta shareholders realise what’s going on.
Another video gives a stirring musical outlook on life in the Nyamgiri hills and the danger it faces.
The finance community raised the alarm on the project with articles highlighting Vedanta’s new scheme as a dodgy investment. Commodityonline.com notes that the company is in ‘a tight spot’.
With the global outcry ringing in the courts and boardrooms that matter, it’s time to add your voice to the throng. We face another urgent moment of action to defend a people on the brink of destruction. Please use our tool to send a letter by mail to the Prime Minister of India.
Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, a Shaman himself, speaks of the xapiripë (the spirits):
‘Only those who know the xapiripë can see them because the xapiripë are very small and bright like light. There are many, many xapiripë, thousands of xapiripë like stars.
‘They are beautiful and decorated with parrot feathers, painted with urucum (annatto). Others have oraikok and others still have earrings and use black dye. They dance very beautifully and sing differently.’
As hyponotic as the portrait is, the Yanomami find themselves threatened by ranchers, goldminers, soya growers and others in the business of stealing Yanomami land.
