#232 | Indigenous Peoples Through The Lens Of The Media w/ Christian Braga

Intro: 8:45

In this episode, I speak Christian Braga — documentary photographer, activist, and member of the media collective Farpa. (“It is, therefore, a product of the restlessness that moves us, that spurs us every day in search of images that matter.”) This interview was recorded in São Paulo, and interpreted by Mirna Wabi-Sabi.

Christian’s striking and stirring photographic work has helped elevate the perspectives of the most oppressed populations in Brazil. His vivid documentation of such catalyzing events as the release of former Brazilian president Lula da Silva from his false imprisonment in 2018 (http://bit.ly/3bLDOnr), the first Indigenous Women’s March in Brasilia this past year (http://bit.ly/2V6okoh), and the ongoing deforestation and plundering of natural resources in the Amazon (http://bit.ly/2SVplwn) by illegal mining operations, has reframed the national and global discussion around these struggles. In discussing this work, Christian provides his insights into the role independent journalists and documentarians can, and should, play in giving voice to the struggles of the most disenfranchised peoples in society, and in turn, giving space for their stories to be told. 

Farpa is an agency created by photographers, driven by the concern to tell great stories, always in the perspective of their protagonists, preserving their voice, their vision, and their interests, and placing the agency’s images at the service of a better world. Farpa's work has been published at Vice, The Intercept, Folha de São Paulo, El País, O Globo, National Geographic, Greenpeace, Al Jazeera, The Globe and Mail and IACHR - Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Mirna Wabi-Sabi was the interpreter for this interview and none of this would have been possible without her. Learn more about her work: https://medium.com/mirna-wabi-sabi

English and Portuguese subtitles by Mirna Wabi-Sabi.

Episode Notes:

- Follow Christian’s work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christiaanbraga

- Follow Farpa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farpa

- Farpa’s website: https://www.agenciafarpa.com

- The song featured in this episode is “Ewaré” by Djuena Tikuna: https://youtu.be/DWPVHRNUsh0

- The photo featured in the title card is by Christian Braga: http://bit.ly/2V6okoh