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MYOO, the team that brought you the Plastiki is on expedition again,

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this time with a unique adventure from our Articulate series,

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which combines art and adventure to give nature a voice.

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From the first of November we'll be in Brazil to visit the site of the proposed Belo Monte dam,

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which is a hugely ambitious and controversial hydroelectric project,

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that will divert flow of the mighty Xingu River.

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The Brazilian goverment is adamant that the dam is necessary to safeguard the economic future

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of all of Brazil, but many people disagree.

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The Belo Monte actually consists of three dams,

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the principle one of which will be located at the head of the Volta Grande, or Big Bend section of the river,

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where it will divert 80% of the river's flow into a manmade canal

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that will feed the giant turbines in the second dam.

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In the process of generating this vast store of potential energy,

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the dam will create an enormous reservoir, that will reach back as far as the town of Altamira,

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and inundate many thousands of acres of rainforest.

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For many people, the creation of this lake is indicative of why they are against the project,

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which they believe is driven more by ego than simple common sense.

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For instance, it is commonly anticipated that the acres and acres of forest that will be flooded

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will begin to rot and release hundreds of thousands of tons of methane into the atmosphere,

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making this dam no cleaner in its emissions than a coal-fired power station.

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In the town of Altamira, the flood waters are expected to reach deep into the favelas,

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displacing many of the poorest and most vulnerable,

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and in the process, compounding issues such as illegal logging and ranching that people will be forced into

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as they struggle to rebuild their lives.

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But perhaps one of the saddest consequences of all is what will happen to the people of the Volta Grande,

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who like so many other indigenous people

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will be willfully deprived of the resources that they fight so hard

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to preserve for the benefit for all of us.

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It is predicted that the diversion of up to 80% of the Xingu's normal flow

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will cause a permanent drought on the Volta Grande.

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This will effectively deprive the region's Juruna and Waura peoples of their livelihood

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and force their displacement.

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MYOO is going to travel to the Volta Grande to spend time with the diverse group of people who live there

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and celebrate with them now what may surely be lost for future generations.

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We intend to team up with the children in these communities and build a giant folk totem,

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which we'll decorate with carvings that celebrate the unique biodiversity of the region.

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We'll then take the totem and place it in the river at the dam site,

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where it will stand as a celebration of what may be lost as well as a representation of a Juruna ancestral myth.

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MYOO is proud to partner with Amazonwatch, who work tirelessly to protect the Amazon and its people.

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Please visit their website to learn more about what you can do to support them and their work.

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ARTICULATE 3 17' 52 12' W is proudly sponsored by Leica and Revo