In the past year, field officers from the national agency for tribal groups trekked over 100 kilometers through lush Amazon jungle on the southern border of the Amazon basin. Their task was to observe and help protect an tribe with no contact with the outside world.
Their observations included a small basket made from forest foliage, a small footprints by a stream, and branches freshly cut to collect bee honey. They also found abandoned shelters being reclaimed by nature and remnants of foraged food near old fire pits. These were all clear signs that the Pardo River Kawahiva remained in the area.
Despite a high court order calling for a set of protective measures for the uncontacted people, the federal administration has not followed through. The approved measures included fast-tracking the official marking of their territory and detailing deforestation reduction strategies.
Bureaucratic delays, funding shortages, and armed disputes over territory—involving assaults by leaders associated with the logging industry—have effectively blocked the protection initiative.
Without physical boundaries, timber companies and cattle farmers continue to encroach, leaving the Kawahiva at grave risk of genocide. Advocates label the delay a deliberate and dangerous infringement of the Brazilian law.
“The delay in land protection is not only against the law, it is also extremely dangerous.”
The proposed one-million-acre reserve remains without official demarcation, as required by law. It is considered the greatest expanse of vulnerable jungle in Brazil that is the domain of uncontacted Indigenous people.
On the edges of the proposed borders, the scene changes dramatically. The land is scorched for cattle grazing. Property markers are going up, and access routes are pushing further into the pristine forest.
Following the expedition, a agency head for territorial protection promised to address the issue. “We are employing every available means to make certain that the Kawahiva land is demarcated,” the official stated.
The boundary marking of the vast territory involves installing boundary posts. This is seen as a decisive step to convince loggers and farmers that the authorities are committed about upholding the law. However, the demarcation is delayed.
Funding has been a primary obstacle. Initial plans to use compensation funds from a highway project did not materialize. The agency has since sought other sources.
It has now engaged a technical academic body. “This is a collaborative effort that we’ve previously implemented,” explained an official. “The fieldwork is planned to begin in the first part of 2026.”
The institute acknowledged that negotiations were progressing but did not provide a timeline.
Complicating everything is what officials term a “conflictual situation in the region,” which is expected to require an law enforcement escort during any field operations.
The threat of violence is real. In the past, an armed group assaulted a government base in the territory, resulting in a gun battle where one attacker was killed. Years later, national force officers were deployed in the area.
In recent months, an recorded message surfaced in which a man, calling himself a local leader, verbally attacked the lead field agent. The individual, linked to local loggers, stated to have searched the land “trying to find those isolated Indians.”
He is reportedly facing several offenses, including charges related to the violent assault on the agent. “Activities are blocked because of this guy,” the man said in the recording.
Anthropologists and experts point out that it has been over 25 years since the location of the uncontacted people was verified. “Throughout this time, illegal settlers have sought to overturn the protective measures in court,” noted one expert.
They raise a worrying prospect: that the current delay is a political obstacle rather than a bureaucratic one. This leads to apprehension that demarcation may not happen even in the near future.
The electoral calendar adds urgency. Many believe that 2026 represents the last chance for this demarcation effort to be achieved, before a potential political shift could freeze protective measures, as occurred in the past.
The supreme court directive was the result of a petition filed by a coalition of native peoples. The court recognized the “danger of eradication, food insecurity, and acculturation” facing the community.
A lawyer involved described the process as “not moving,” with the court awaiting compliance. The dangers of stalling are stark. “It is also incredibly perilous and endangers the lives of the uncontacted people,” warned a representative from an campaigning body.
Elena Hartwell is a multidisciplinary artist and educator passionate about fostering creative communities in London.