THE PAMINE PROJECT


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 durable ecological activity.

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 durable economy.

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.