Welcome to the Surui This native land, inhabited only by the Surui people of Rondônia, is situated in Brazil, between the current states of Rondônia and Mato Grosso, in the municipalities of Cocoal Rondônia) and Aripuanã (Mato Grosso). This territory, consisting of more than 93% pristine rainforest, has been restored to the people Surui by the government in 1984, following the official demarcation. With his status, he is now legally protected against deforestation.

It extends over 248.146 hectares (situated between 10°45 ' 00 " and 11°15 ' 00 " and 60°55 ' 55 " and 61°25 ' 13 " W). We can reach it only by land from the South, through the " linhas " (tracks established by the former ways of penetration of colonization) 8 , 9 , 10, 11 , 12 and 14 (numbering from West to East), leaving from the city of Cacoal, 80 km away.

The visible grid in the picture is the extent along the deforested linhas. The green areas are indigenous territories that the Surui seek to protect against illegal deforestation.

The Suruí People is divided into 4 clans named Gamep, Gamir, Makor and Kaban. They live in about fifteen villages, often indicated by the number of the linha on which they are: Linha 8, Linha 9, Linha 10, Lob ó, Lapetanha, Joaquim, Amaral (situated on the linha 11), Linha 12-Gamep, Linha 12-Makor, Linha 14-Placa, Linha 14-Gamir, Pacarana, Apoena Mereilles (in the North).

The great majority of these villages are situated near the south limit of Terra Indigena, to prevent colonists' invasions. Each of them counts between 30 and 200 individuals, and is dominated, if not exclusively inhabited by one clan or the other. The villages in which the project is going to take place are villages inhabited by the " Gamep " clan; and mainly the village of Lapetanha, because the project should be realized in its surroundings, in a zone under the control of its leaders, with the support of the villages on Linha 9 and Linha 10, whose leaders are also of the " Gamep " clan. Each of these villages counts about 80 inhabitants (actually 84 in Lapetanha). In the long term, the leaders supporting the project, and in particular the main instigator, Almir Narayamoga Suruí, hope to convince all the villages to undertake actions of reafforestation and protection of the cultural and social patrimony, and to widen these to all the zones of the Terra Indigena Sete de Setembro where they would be necessary and profitable.