TERRA LIVRE

Since October 5, 1988, Brazil has recognized the rights of Indigenous peoples to their ancestral lands. However, decades later, a significant debt remains unresolved, leaving Indigenous communities still fighting for justice.

Every April, more than 4,000 Indigenous from across Brazil take over Brasília, the nation’s capital, in a powerful act of resistance. They gather to ensure their presence is felt, their voices heard, and to remind the government of its unfulfilled promises, transforming Brasília into a vibrant tapestry of cultures, worldviews, and stories that make one single struggle.

For this project, I used a Rolleiflex 2.8F film camera. Each frame is an in-camera double exposurethat blends the voices, traditions, and struggles that shape this vital moment in Brazil’s history. The negatives were later developed and digitally scanned, preserving the rawness and authenticity of each frame. 

While recent progress has been made—Brazil has officially recognized 13 Indigenous territories since 2023—but more than 200 territories remain in limbo, awaiting formal recognition. For many communities, the wait spans generations, with the demarcation process often taking over 30 years to complete.