The river, alone, carries the canoe as it grows weary of serving as a path to hope, says Amazonian poet Thiago de Mello. In this special edition of Rádio Sumaúma – Report, Maickson “Pavulagem” Serrão paints a portrait of an Amazon coexisting with suffering, hunger, and the desperation of seeing its rivers, like the Negro, the Solimões, and the Tapajós, drying and in agony.

His report on “The great drying of the Amazon’s rivers” shows that, sadly for the poet, there is no more water to point the way. A member of the traditional Ribeirinho community and of the Indigenous community, Maickson was born in Vila de Boim, a 12-hour trip from the city of Santarém, in the Amazonian state of Pará. He returned to his native land and immersed himself in the reality of several Amazonian communities to hear from those facing the consequence of extreme climate phenomena: drought, death, food shortages, lack of drinking water, impossible-to-navigate rivers and suspended classes at schools. For many, this scenario is reminiscent of the agony they experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, isolated and without any prospects of support.

“The people who contribute the least to the climate collapse are suffering the most. How can reparations be guaranteed, so they can maintain dignified and quality lives?” Maickson asks, while pointing out that extreme events will be increasingly frequent and intense. To stop the crisis and ensure the forest peoples’ right to life, the fight must be collective.