http://news.mongabay.com/2008/1005-surui.html

'Children of the Amazon' looks at cultural loss of Amazon tribe confronted
by deforestation

October 5, 2008

'Children of the Amazon', a new documentary by Denise Zmekhol, looks at the
cultural transformation of the Surui and Negarote tribes following the
development and improvement of a highway that penetrates deep into the
Amazon rainforest of western Brazil.

Zmekhol focuses on a group of Surui children she photographed 15 years ago
to show the rapid cultural change that is occurring in indigenous
communities at the frontier of development in the Brazilian Amazon. She
illustrates the story through recent interviews with the children, who are
now young adults; video shot of their village and the region in the late
1980s when colonists first started arriving in the region; archival footage
of the Surui and Negarote tribes shortly after contact in the late 1960s;
and the story of Chico Mendes, a rubber tapper union who was assassinated
after famously battling ranchers and loggers in the late 1980s and laying
the groundwork for the effort to save the Amazon rainforest. While the
story is a depressing one for those who wish to see the Amazon conserved
and the rights of indigenous people respected, 'Children of the Amazon'
aims to end on an upbeat note by focusing on heroic efforts among the Surui
to protect their forest homeland from developers — today the tribe is
working with rubber tappers, innovative conservationists, and even Internet
giant Google to preserve forests and its culture.

As depicted in the film, this is a world where young Surui men work for
logging companies, shaman have been replaced by generator-powered TVs
showing Brazilian game shows, and once clear-flowing rivers are now silted
and still.
The premier, which took place at the Mill Valley Film Festival on October
5, was capped by appearances by Almir Surui, a Surui chief; Elenira Mendes,
the daughter of Chico Mendes; Vasco van Roosmalen, Brazil Program Director
for the Amazon Conservation Team which is working with Chief Almir Surui to
safeguard forest lands and Surui culture through the use of cutting-edge
technology; and film-maker Denise Zmekhol. Chief Almir Surui was a day
earlier recognized for his efforts to fight deforestation by San Francisco
mayor Gavin Newsom who declared October 4th "Chief Almir Surui Day."

At a reception following the film, Chief Almir Surui told mongabay.com that
his tribe has faced a difficult struggle but that collaboration with the
Amazon Conservation team, Google, and others has given the Surui new
leverage against those who are trying to seize their lands and destroy
their forests.

"The Surui know little about the Internet, but Google knows little about
the forest, so working together we will be stronger," he said. "We are
mapping and monitoring our lands to protect our resources from loggers and
ranchers."

For more about 'Children of the Amazon', visit childrenoftheamazon.com.