A Brazilian of the Yanomami community was special guest at CAFOD’s annual pilgrimage to Holy Island this year.
Davi Kopenawa Yanomami is a member of the Yanomami community in Brazil, and a spokesman on tribal issues and Amazon Rainforest conservation. CAFOD supports Hutukara, an indigenous grassroots organisation of which Davi is president.
He joined pilgrims for the day on June 13 to walk across the Pilgrims’ Way from the main land to the island. Davi also helped lead the reflection at key points along the way with stories from his own tradition, focusing on living in harmony with God’s creation.
CAFOD Hexham & Newcastle Diocesan Manager Anne-Marie Hanlon said: “It was a real honour for us, and we were thrilled to have Davi coming to Holy Island this year. Davi is an inspirational speaker and comes from a tradition where people are still fundamentally linked to their environment.
“It was very interesting to hear what he has to say about climate change, and also to hear how his customs value the stories of his ancestors just as he will hear how we revere our Northern saints.”
- Boy from Brazil … Davi Yanomami joined North East walkers on the Pilgrims Way
Davi is a well-known figure internationally as one of the few indigenous Brazilians to have taken on the role of speaking out for indigenous rights.
His personal motivation came in part from his wife’s experience of losing much of her family to measles and other diseases brought to Yanomami areas in the 1970s by road construction crews and small-time gold miners.
He has been described as “probably the most important of all Yanomami who have emerged as public figures”.
Because of the tides, last year’s pilgrimage took place on the island, but this year organisers returned to the usual plan to walk to the island via the Pilgrims Way.
