Juma Xipaia, the first female chief of the Middle Xingu region of the Brazilian Amazon, is the subject of a documentary that explores her fight to protect her indigenous community from deforestation, illegal gold mining, and the environmental consequences of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam project. DiCaprio's Amazonian warrior queen
Xipaia's outspoken resistance and exposure of corruption relating to the dam's construction led to threats on her life, including a poisoning attempt that left her on a ventilator with 70% organ failure. She survived and was eventually convinced to take a call from film director Richard Ladkani, who was looking for a powerful central figure to provide human and emotional context for his documentary on the Amazon. Xipaia's poetry and ability to describe emotions and feelings in context made her the perfect voice for the film.
The documentary, Yanuni, took six years to make and features Xipaia leading protests against Bolsonaro, as well as her move from her village to set up home in Brasilia with her son and husband Hugo Loss, a helicopter pilot who works for Ibama. The film also documents her struggle with security concerns and the technical challenges of filming in the Amazon, as well as her role in protecting indigenous communities from illegal gold mining.
Xipaia's activism and leadership have made her a target, but her public profile, thanks to her association with DiCaprio, has helped to protect her. She has left the post of State Secretary and retired to her territory, where she continues to fight for the protection of the Amazon. Despite the challenges, Xipaia remains hopeful, drawing strength from her connection to nature and her ancestors' legacy.
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