Women-earth

Dona Elza is an Apurinã Indigenous woman, one of the peoples who have inhabited the Middle Purus River in Amazonas for time immemorial. This is one of the most well-preserved areas of the eastern Brazilian Amazon, now threatened by the advance of the “arc of deforestation.” Nearing 100 years old, Dona Elza remains strong and has an enviable memory. A great storyteller, she is regarded in the region as the primary guardian of Apurinã history and Indigenous knowledge. A warrior of ancestry, her smile expresses the sweet wisdom of someone who has spent her life in the forest.