The Territory

Brazil continues to destroy much of the Amazon’s rain forest while wiping out Native Tribes.

This is a valuable documentary distributed by National Geographic and directed by Alex Pritz. A camera gives a firsthand view of Brazil’s indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people trying to defend their jungle land. Under the recent election of the Trump-like President Jair Bolsonaro, the government turns a blind eye to settlers attempt to destroy and occupy native Brazilian’s land.

In a sense, you are reminded of the history of our own country. While we glorify the settling of the American West, we continue to ignore how white farmers on wagon trains drove Native Americans to the edge of extinction.

In this stunning film, you watch tribal leader Bitate´ alongside Neidinha, a female activist, try to preserve the jungle’s existence of the Uru-eu-wau-wau. Against them is a wealthy business conglomerate using farmers as a shield to burn down and destroy much of the Amazon jungle.

But the film doesn’t stop there. It also focuses on the climate impact resulting from millions of trees being cut down to make farmland and cattle ranches. The world is paying a price for this horror story.

It is long overdue for Americans to recognize that we are all the descendants of immigrants. We all came to this country as uninvited trespassers who ran the surviving Native Americans onto embarrassing reservations.

Ironically, look how we treat immigrants to this day. If today’s Texas Governor was in power in the 1600 to 1800s, you can imagine our Great-Great Grandfathers being transported to a metropolis like Chicago or New York!

Here’s hoping that the Uru-eu-wau-wau survive.