Background briefings

Community Mapping

Indigenous people around the world are creating maps of their lands and resources. It is a way for them to stake a claim to their land, and can be a powerful tool in establishing tribal peoples’ rights.

Hunting

Many of the communities that Survival works with are hunter-gatherers. Hunting is more than a way of life; it is part of their identity.

Poaching

Hunting is the main source of protein for many tribal people, and is central to their identity. But when their land is stolen from them in the name of conservation, tribal hunters become “poachers” overnight. And they face arrest and beatings, tor...

Guardians

Tribal peoples all over the world are defending their lands from outsiders. They see themselves as guardians of the natural world for future generations. In their hands lie the majority of the world’s most important areas for conservation.

Parks and Peoples

Conservation – a necessity for the world’s dwindling resources – is an integral part of life for many tribal peoples. But conservation by outsiders that ignores tribal peoples’ rights can be catastrophic for all.

Yanomami blood controversy

In 1967, thousands of blood samples were taken from Yanomami Indians in Brazil and Venezuela, by North American researchers. It took until 2010 for the return of the samples to be assured.

Hakani

‘Hakani’ is a film produced by the American fundamentalist missionary organisation Youth With a Mission. It claims to be the “true story” of a Brazilian Indian child called Hakani who was supposedly buried alive by her tribe, the Suruwaha. In fact...

‘Songs for Survival’

Bruce Parry, star of the BBC series’ ‘Tribe’ and ‘Amazon’, has teamed up with some of the music world’s biggest names to create a fundraising album for Survival. Every track on the album is exclusive, and they have all been written especially fo...

Amazon tribes

The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest. It is also the ancestral home of 1 million Indians. They are divided into about 400 tribes, each with its own language, culture and territory. Many have had contact with outsiders for almost 500 year...