Interview with Joyce Anika, author of “Garimpo é crime”

Photography: Garimpo é crime (2022)

Location: Free Land Camp, Brasilia, Brazil 

Joyce Anika is a young indigenous woman from the Amazon region, originally from the state of Amapá, and belongs to the Karipuna people in northern Brazil. At 23 years old, her journey in the Indigenous movement began in 2020 when she participated in a government program offering a communication course for young Indigenous people.It was there that she was introduced to photography and quickly fell in love with the art of capturing moments and telling stories through images.

In 2021, she had the opportunity to attend the Acampamento Terra Livre ATL (Free Land Camp) in Brasília, representing her people’s Indigenous association, AIKA. At that time, the fight was against gold mining, particularly in Yanomami lands.

“It wasn’t just a photograph, but a testimony of our resistance”

“At the ATL, one of the most striking moments was a march where participants carried blocks of Styrofoam representing gold, covered with handprints and blood marks, symbolizing the destructive impact of mining. This moment was a turning point for me as a photographer, as I realized the power of images in our struggle. I thought of all my relatives, of my own land, Amapá, which has always been a hotspot for gold exploitation due to its border with French Guiana. It was a very powerful scene, and I decided to capture it.”

“I discovered myself in photography by documenting the movement against mining, which affected not only our relatives across Brazil but especially Amapá, a region deeply impacted by gold exploitation. My people have lived with this reality for a long time. Here, we have three Indigenous territories and four peoples—Galibi Marworno, Galibi, Palikur, and Karipuna—each with their own language, yet all affected by mining. This activity brings not only environmental destruction but also trafficking, prostitution, and rising crime. We stand in solidarity with the Yanomami because we understand the devastating impact of mining. Behind that image lies a historical context of years of struggle and repeated violations. Every year, we denounce the invasion of illegal miners on Indigenous lands, but we are often not heard. The record I made that day, at the Acampamento Terra Livre demonstration in 2021, was not just a photograph but a testimony to our resistance.”

Photography as a Tool of Resistance

“For me, photography is a form of expression, not just a record of time. It is a transmitter we use so that you can see. And it conveys the essence of what we experience through our eyes. Our lenses are our eyes on the territory, and when we capture an act that harms us, that damages nature, it goes beyond a cry—it becomes a discourse in the form of an image. Our connection with nature goes far beyond what it can offer us. She is our relative, and when she is wounded, I feel that she is ill. We are talking more and more about climate change, and in this context, audiovisual media and photography have been tools of struggle, both to bring information to the territories and to show that problems like mining exploitation are not isolated issues. Through images, we can denounce, raise awareness, and amplify our voices.”

Making Indigenous Struggles Visible

“Since 2021, I have been working with other Indigenous organizations in the Amazon, such as COIAB and APOIANP. I use photography, writing, and audiovisual production to document our struggles against climate change, illegal exploitation, and for land demarcation. These records not only bring information to the territories but also amplify our voices (…) further strengthening Indigenous resistance and communication made by us, showing that we are here and have always been.”