MYOO, the team that brought you the Plastiki is on expedition again,
this time with a unique adventure from our Articulate series,
which combines art and adventure to give nature a voice.
From the first of November we'll be in Brazil to visit the site of the proposed Belo Monte dam,
which is a hugely ambitious and controversial hydroelectric project,
that will divert flow of the mighty Xingu River.
The Brazilian goverment is adamant that the dam is necessary to safeguard the economic future
of all of Brazil, but many people disagree.
The Belo Monte actually consists of three dams,
the principle one of which will be located at the head of the Volta Grande, or Big Bend section of the river,
where it will divert 80% of the river's flow into a manmade canal
that will feed the giant turbines in the second dam.
In the process of generating this vast store of potential energy,
the dam will create an enormous reservoir, that will reach back as far as the town of Altamira,
and inundate many thousands of acres of rainforest.
For many people, the creation of this lake is indicative of why they are against the project,
which they believe is driven more by ego than simple common sense.
For instance, it is commonly anticipated that the acres and acres of forest that will be flooded
will begin to rot and release hundreds of thousands of tons of methane into the atmosphere,
making this dam no cleaner in its emissions than a coal-fired power station.
In the town of Altamira, the flood waters are expected to reach deep into the favelas,
displacing many of the poorest and most vulnerable,
and in the process, compounding issues such as illegal logging and ranching that people will be forced into
as they struggle to rebuild their lives.
But perhaps one of the saddest consequences of all is what will happen to the people of the Volta Grande,
who like so many other indigenous people
will be willfully deprived of the resources that they fight so hard
to preserve for the benefit for all of us.
It is predicted that the diversion of up to 80% of the Xingu's normal flow
will cause a permanent drought on the Volta Grande.
This will effectively deprive the region's Juruna and Waura peoples of their livelihood
and force their displacement.
MYOO is going to travel to the Volta Grande to spend time with the diverse group of people who live there
and celebrate with them now what may surely be lost for future generations.
We intend to team up with the children in these communities and build a giant folk totem,
which we'll decorate with carvings that celebrate the unique biodiversity of the region.
We'll then take the totem and place it in the river at the dam site,
where it will stand as a celebration of what may be lost as well as a representation of a Juruna ancestral myth.
MYOO is proud to partner with Amazonwatch, who work tirelessly to protect the Amazon and its people.
Please visit their website to learn more about what you can do to support them and their work.
ARTICULATE 3 17' 52 12' W is proudly sponsored by Leica and Revo