Guarani-Kaiowá people acting in the movie
Fiona’s questions to Kaiowa who are travelling to Venice:

What did they like and what didn’t they like about the experience of acting and participating in the film? Was there some aspect they enjoyed more than others? Was there something they didn’t enjoy at all?

They all agreed it was a brilliant experience which they loved. There were no better or worse bits. The experience as a whole was very special for them. Ambrosio says “my dream was to do something like this one day, to be an actor; I fulfilled my dream.” And he goes on: “ The work I agree to do, I do so because I enjoy it. There is no, there can’t be unhappiness.”

What did they think when they saw the whole film for the first time? Was it the first time they watched a movie?

They will watch it for the first time in Venice. They have never watched a film in a theatre. Ambrosio said he was once in a film theatre, in Campo Grande, many years ago: “ It was scary. There was no way out.”

What do they hope the film to bring to the Guarani?

They expect specific results for their people. One of their most respected ñanderus, Ataná Teixeira,  has put it, during the filming, they hope the film will be something they can be proud of and something they can cherish - especially the young people and the children.

Ambrosio says he hopes for the demarcation of their territories. He hopes for justice for the kaiowa/Guarani. “There is justice - the white people’s justice (karai) - against the Indian. In favour of the Indian, I see none. When the Indian makes a complaint he is not taken seriously. This is what I most hope for: land and justice. Everything else we can get somehow. The film will also tell our present story to our children, the kaiowa/Gaurani of the future; the film is a path, like the rising sun, shining for all the families.”

Why do they want to travel to Europe and what will they do there?

It is their first long trip. They want to meet other cultures, other languages. They want to tell their story, talk about their reality. They understand that they alone can talk about this reality. They think people will like to meet them, as Kaiowa/Guarani, and they want to meet other peoples. The film tells part of that story. Ambrosio: ”I wish to show the world the work we’ve done. To show how we, Kaiowa, live and fight for land repossession. When I was a mita’i (child) I dreamt I travelled inside a plastic car. I was made to earn - so I will learn, I said to myself. And so I did.”
Ambrosio says he wants to travel around with the film to see if there are any results. He believes it will bring the Kaiowa/Guarani important resources.

Why is it important that the white or non-Indian world gains an awareness of the Guarani people through the film?

Because the film shows the reality. When white people visit the reserve they think life is simple. But it is not. The film shows that.The whites usually go in with a photographer. They take their pictures and they go. And they just stand there. It’s like a zoo! And some even ask them to “dress up like Indians” for the photo.

The kaiowa/Guarani carry out their own “research” about the whites’ world and share their findings with their people.

They want “honesty”.
“The white people only show ugly things; they don’t talk about what needs to be done, what needs to change.” They talk about malnutrition, and soon all seem to be suffering from malnutrition. But that doesn’t solve the problem. And the mothers and fathers get the blame. But they don’t discuss the lack of lands, the devastation carried out by the whites, the lack of work and opportunities. Without forest there are no animals and it is not possible to perform the “kunumi pepy” (initiation ritual, also known as “fura-labios”).

They, the whites, need to know it in order to understand it! So that those who would like to help can see how.

What is the “message they want to put across to the white’s world through the film?

That they will always hope that their lands will be demarcated. That they will always hope they will live forever, through their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.That all Indians should be given opportunities.
They hope to be valued, as equals, as important as any other people. They feel they are discriminated against.
They wish to show some of their beauty, the beauty of their culture. And they hope to be respected for that. Ambrosio says that “the message depends on the receiver. They may think we’re beautiful and that’s it. It depends on the person.” He wishes people will see the daily life of the Kaiowa/Guarani.

Marco Bechis

(…) Dobbiamo capire che quest’occasione è un momento molto importante per loro, anche per noi, ma più per loro. Loro vedono tutto grande, una lucertola non è più grande di così (mostra un piccolo bastoncino sulla sua mano) loro sanno ingrandire le cose, questo è il cinema, tutto grande, grandi immagini in una grande scatola. Questa lucertola loro la ingrandiranno fino a trasformarla in un’altra cosa. Ma dobbiamo capire che molto avremo da guadagnare da questo. Noi non possiamo aprire tutte le nostre porte, ma neppure possiamo infilarci in una porta aperta. Come possiamo entrare in una casa con le porte aperte senza conoscere quel che può esserci dentro! Potrebbe esserci un serpente. Bisogna saper giocare con loro perché abbiamo molto da imparare da loro, non perché ne abbiamo bisogno ma perché conoscere è una nostra virtù, dobbiamo imparare molto per poter dire e raccontare la nostra lotta a loro che saranno qui a registrarci, a fotografarci, a studiarci e insegnarci.

Non bisogna chiudersi alla conoscenza, no dobbiamo aprirci. L’uomo che non vuole imparare è un uomo morto. Il mio trisnonno, il nonno di tutti voi qui, mi diceva che si impara sempre, dal momento della nascita fino all’ultimo giorno di vita. e me lo diceva ricordandomi una storia di un altro nonno che sapeva di essere sul punto di morte che chiese a suo nipote di fargli una sigaretta con foglie di mirino, suo nipote gliela preparò ma non sapeva come accendere, allora prende un po’ di cenere e scopre una piccola brace e con quella riesce ad accendere al nonno la sigaretta di foglie di maiz. Il nonno sorpreso disse: “Ora che sto morendo continuo ad imparare!”

Vi dico questo perché voi capiate quel che abbiamo da guadagnare da loro. Altro punto importante è che ci hanno scelto per primi. Vuol dire molto. Dovete avere rispetto per loro. Loro metteranno tutto, ma non bisogna ridere di loro. E neanche prenderli in giro. Domani danzeremo ancora per loro e faremo guachiré e kothhy. Ogni giorno una cosa dversa, e poi loro mostreranno le loro cose.

Ambrósio