Almir Narayamoga Surui, Chief of the Surui and instigator of the PAMINE Project.

"PAMINE" means "REBIRTH" in tupi-monde, the language of Surui People

A 100% native project In 2000, the leaders of 4 Surui clans met to look for a solution for the survival of their people. In 2000, the leaders of 4 Surui clans met to look for a solution for the survival of their people. Every clan had to propose a project to develop for the good of the entire tribe. This is on this occasion that Almir Narayamoga Surui, the Chief of the clan Gamebey (the clan of the warriors in charge of the protection of the whole tribe and also, at this period, the "Minister of the foreign affairs"), develops his concept to save the integrity of the tribe and its territory while using Reforestation as a catalyst. After ensuring the full support of the member of his clan, he proposed therefore the project of reforestation "PAMINE" which was then launched by the clan Gamebey. This project is integrated in a global plan of sustainable management on 50 years of the Surui territory which has been initialized and developped by Chief Almir with the support of bresilian NGO Kaninde. Click on image to download the Management Plan (only in Portuguese version) In 2004, Chief Almir began looking for an institution to support its reforestation project and when searching on the internet, he then has found the association Aquaverde ... The Pamine project was entirely elaborated by the Surui themselves, according to their own philosophy of life. The purpose of this project is to involve the largest number of Surui, following those who were the first to request it (the Lapetanha village people and their leader Almir Narayamoga Suruí) in activities protecting the Amazonian forest in all its biologic variety. It is a question of making the plantation of trees attractive and beneficial, to demonstrate to the whole ethnic group, even to the nearby white population, that the exploitation of wood and other predatory activities are not the only solutions offered to the Indians to face the economic pressures which undergone by their society. The restoration of the forest diversity near the villages should allow, at the same time, to reduce their food dependence towards the city and to supply them with incomes coming from a sustainable ecological activity; while allowing them to protect the integrity of their territory, of still untouched forest, reprensenting 93% of the 250,000 hectares of indigenous lands (Terra indigena). The beneficiaries The "official" beneficiaries of the project, the ones with who the contract will be signed and who will have the responsibility for putting it forward will be the Associção Gamebey - Metareilá, association representing the clan " Gamep ", and chaired by Almir Narayamoga Suruí. The profits of the marketed products will return completely to the association Gamebey, except those of the crafts, which will return to the artisans. Nevertheless the "real" beneficiaries of the project will be first of all Lapetanha's people and those of the other villages. They are the ones who will participate in the realization of the project, who, besides the salary which will be given to them when they will work on it, will gain knowledge and experience in the subject, and benefit from its produced goods. Legitimacy The Native lands are just about the only ones in Rondônia which have resisted to deforestation. It is essential to support the Indians who wish to undertake reafforestation and a sustainable economy, both among the Suruí and beyond. Furthermore, the Suruí enjoy a high prestige in Rondônia, as a group who knew how to best get organized to face white people (creation of association, investment in the education, etc.), and an asset in inter-ethnic organizations. The leader at the origin of the project, Almir Narayamoga Suruí, has functions of representative of the Indians of Rondônia and of the Brazil in national and international conventions. The establishment of this modest project could thus generate a certain echo. Besides, at the local level, the project receives the support of all the people who live in the village where it will be implemented. In 2010, only a small clan of 80 people, the clan Makor, does not participate yet to the project PAMINE. The project proposed by the Gamebey is the only one to have withstood the time !

The indigenous territories are protected by law.