Educational Media Reviews Online

This award winning documentary is a gem. It is the story of the Auwe Uptabi Indians (True People) who live in Eteniritipa or the Rio Dias Mortes Reserve of Brazil. In many sequences, the village elders tell the story of "the True People" in Xavante, the indigenous language. In other sequences Portuguese narration is used.

Brazil: the True People is divided in three major sections: "Tradition," "Contact," and "The Cycle of Life." The documentary starts with the creation myth of the Auwe Uptabi, and follows with an examination of the "Tradition" of the Auwe Uptabi. These traditions include rites of passage for young boys in the communal "Ho" hut, and the competitive log carry through the jungle by young women. "Contact" chronicles the Auwe's initial Western contact during the 1946 Getulio Vargas regime. Finally, "The Cycle of Life" covers the cycle of hunting with fire, ritual healing, and fishing with Iliana (a narcotic plant) of the "True People."

The Auwe's traditional nomadic lifestyle has been changed by the encroachment of the Warazu (white people). They live in a much smaller territory than before contact. However, despite efforts by the Auwe Uptabi to avoid contact with the Warazu, the "True People" wear manufactured clothing, use steel tools, and modern firearms. Can they maintain their traditions in light of the continuing environmental encroachments of outsiders?

This is a superbly constructed video with a variety of camera angles, fades, and mixes. The highly polished, professional editing prevents the video from lagging. The beautiful color is naturally vivid. Sound is clear and undistorted. The music of the Auwe Uptabi is both hypnotic and spellbinding.

This wonderful video is highly recommended for college classes in Anthropology, Geography, and Environmental Studies.