In the language of Brazil’s indigenous Munduruku people, “Ocekadi” means “the river of our place.”
It is their name for the Tapajós River, which forms the core of their traditional lands in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon. A region of tremendous social and biological diversity, the Tapajós river basin connects two important biomes: the tropical savannah (cerrado) and the Amazon. Now, an unprecedented number of hydroelectric dam projects threaten the Tapajós and its major tributaries, together with industrial waterways (hidrovias), road paving, mining and agribusiness enterprises.
Our new book “Ocekadi: Hydroelectric Dams, Socio-Environmental Conflicts, and Resistance in the Tapajós Basin,” co-produced with Ufopa (Federal University of Western Pará State) and various other partners, critically assesses the planning, licensing and implementation of dam projects in the Tapajós basin. We demonstrate that these projects, catering to narrow political and economic interests, have systematically violated the rights of indigenous peoples and other local populations, flouting the rule of law and escalating socio-environmental conflicts in the region.
However, as the book’s authors demonstrate, indigenous peoples and other traditional populations of the Tapajós, together with their allies, are fighting back in defense of their rights, employing creative and increasingly successful tactics to protect their territories, cultures and livelihoods.
Access the digital version of the full book in Portuguese, the book’s accompanying wall map, and translations of the Executive Summary in English and Spanish below:
- Ocekadi: Hydroelectric Dams, Socio-Environmental Conflicts, and Resistance in the Tapajos Basin (Portuguese)
- Map of dams, protected areas and rural settlements in the Tapajós Basin
- English translation of Executive Summary
- Spanish translation of Executive Summary
Ocekadi: Hydroelectric Dams, Socio-Environmental Conflicts, and Resistance in the Tapajos Basin by International Rivers
