Puyr Tembé:
Reforesting minds
PUYR TEMBÉ lives and works in the Amazonian city of Belém, a bustling metropolis of 2 million people known as the “Gateway to the Amazon.” She has endured racism, prejudice, and has greatly missed her daughters and grandchildren who live in the Alto Rio Guama Indigenous territory, to fight for the defense of Indigenous people in Brazil. As an activist and leader on the front line of the Indigenous people’s movement, she’s dedicated her life to encouraging Indigenous involvement at the city, state, and federal level throughout Brazil and the world. “It’s a duty of indigenous people to occupy spaces of power, to decide our lives.”
The Tembé people of Brazil have a deep connection to the forest, believing that they ARE the forest and must live in a symbiotic relationship with the spirits, plants, and animals. The Alto Rio Guama territory, where the Tembé live, is one of the last standing forests in the state of Pará. According to climate scientists, it is of crucial importance that this ecosystem remain intact – but it has been a prime target for deforestation, and the Tembé have been battling for 40 years to save their land. As illegal logging on their reserve has increased, the Tembé have been forced to take up arms and confront the loggers, sparking violent clashes deep in the jungle. As a member of the Forest Guardians, Puyr has led countless patrols, and has had many confrontations with illegal loggers and land invaders who threaten her family’s land.
Puyr says she’d prefer a simple life in the village as a grandmother, but she knows that the fight is too important and that her determination and drive as a leader is too greatly needed. She devotes much of her time to campaigning and negotiating on behalf of the Tembé and other Indigenous peoples with the government in Brasilia, organizing large rallies and marches in the nation’s capital. She previously served as the Manager of Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Indigenous People at the Department of Human Rights offices for the state of Pará, Brazil, and as the President of FEPIPA (Federation of Indigenous Peoples in Pará), an Indigenous-run NGO that facilitates and supports Indigenous leaders presenting to government officials. In early 2023 after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office, Puyr was appointed as the Minister of Indigenous Peoples for the State of Pará.
We Are Guardians
A journey of hope in the midst of crisis
In the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, thousands of people are unlawfully invading protected lands, devastating centuries-old forests for resources and fast profits. Now as the health of the entire Amazon teeters at the edge, will Brazil and the world take notice?
Indigenous forest guardian Marçal Guajajara and Indigenous leader Puyr Tembé stand at the frontlines of this fight, risking their lives to protect their ancestral lands from relentless invasions and deforestation. On the other side–Valdir, an illegal logger, is trapped in a desperate struggle to make ends meet and sees no other way than continuing to cut down the forest.
This is the powerful narrative at the heart of We Are Guardians — a story of hope and resilience amidst an unfolding crisis. Through a tapestry of voices, this award-winning documentary provides a raw and intimate look at the lives of those closest to the Amazon and peels back the layers of this critical situation to reveal a story that ultimately affects all of us. Directed by Edivan Guajajara, Chelsea Greene, and Rob Grobman, and produced by Academy Award winner Fisher Stevens with Leonardo DiCaprio serving as Executive Producer, the film is an exploration of the human spirit and our collective responsibility to protect the fragile balance of our world. Ultimately, it illuminates a path forward, where hope and unity can guide us toward a brighter future for the Amazon and our planet.
