Protecting the Javari Valley through Indigenous-led conservation Impact Makers: Bushe Matis

NAME

Bushe Matis

TITLE

General Coordinator, União dos Povos Indígenas do Vale do Javari (UNIVAJA)

LOCATION

Atalaia do Norte, Amazonas, Brazil

ABOUT

Bushe Matis, an Indigenous man of the Matis ethnic group, born in the village of Bueiro, on the Ituí River, serves as General Coordinator of UNIVAJA, a non-profit organization that represents the Vale do Javari Indigenous Land, the second largest Indigenous territory in Brazil, with 8.5 million hectares. Founded in 2007 and formalized in 2010, UNIVAJA defends Indigenous rights, preserves traditional knowledge and protects the territory's biodiversity. The region is home to seven Indigenous Peoples, as well as 11 confirmed records of peoples living in voluntary isolation.

Through its main initiative, the Vale do Javari Ethno-Environmental Protection Project (PPEVJ), UNIVAJA combines ancestral knowledge with advanced technology to strengthen environmental protection and community resilience. The surveillance team led by Indigenous Peoples monitors the territory using drones and georeferenced mapping, addressing threats such as illegal logging, mining and poaching. Legal defense, community involvement and partnerships with NGOs and government agencies reinforce the region's security and support the preservation of its rich cultural and biological diversity.

MOTIVATIONS

Since 2005, as a result of the need for Matis language interpreters at Indigenous movement meetings, Bushe Matis began taking part in activities at his grandfather's invitation. He was one of the creators of the movement that gave rise to the Matis Indigenous Association - AIMA. He has spent more than 20 years fighting for Indigenous rights, actively involved in health, education, territorial protection and environmental preservation in the Javari Valley. His main objective in life, he says, is guaranteeing the subsistence and existence of the peoples of the Javari, as well as ensuring life on the planet. 

IMPACT

• Establishment of a surveillance team of 120 Indigenous members, reducing illegal activities and protecting the territory of 8.5 million hectares.

• Re-established the territory's 400-kilometer southern border.

• Almost complete vaccination against COVID-19, with fewer than five deaths among the 6,000 Indigenous Peoples living in the Vale do Javari Indigenous Land. 

• Enabled two successful legal cases before Brazil's Supreme Court, strengthening protections for the Javari Valley.

• The organization combated logging, mining and illegal hunting through technology-based surveillance and Indigenous-led surveillance.

• Partnerships with NGOs and international organizations provided financial and technical support to subsidize the surveillance team and training programs.

• Inclusive dialogues and regular meetings built trust and encouraged the participation of diverse Indigenous groups.

• Strategic litigation and community involvement continue to strengthen Indigenous rights and political protections against powerful economic interests.

GOALS

• Expand the surveillance team and integrate more Indigenous communities into conservation efforts.

• Strengthen partnerships to ensure sustainable funding and increase operational capacity.

• Increase advocacy for Indigenous rights at the national and international level.

• Inspire similar Indigenous-led initiatives to protect biodiversity and defend cultural heritage throughout Latin America.

• Guarantee the autonomy of Indigenous Peoples in the fight for their rights. 

ADVICE FOR OTHERS

Bushe Matis recognizes that Indigenous Peoples live in search of knowledge. Therefore, he advises that Indigenous Peoples continue to search for this knowledge, even if this search is outside their original territory, but that they always return home to contribute the knowledge obtained to the defense and struggle of Indigenous Peoples. Furthermore, with the future of the planet in mind, all non-Indigenous People (Nawá) should learn to be aware of the importance of preserving and conserving nature and Indigenous and traditional territories, so that there will always be standing forests, drinking water, food and life.

HOW TO SUPPORT

You can support UNIVAJA’s mission by

• Partnering with the organization to strengthen Indigenous-led surveillance and conservation initiatives.

• Donate to fund legal defense, training and technological resources.

• Sharing the success of this initiative to inspire similar models around the world.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Website: http://univaja.org
Facebook: Univaja
X (formerly Twitter): @UnivajaOficial
Instagram: @univajaoficial