Building Belo Monte

Pará, Brazil · Photographs by Taylor Weidman

As construction of the legally disputed Belo Monte mega-dam reaches its peak, Amazonian tribes, local fishermen, and environmentalists are struggling to combat its disruptive social and environmental impacts. When complete, the Belo Monte will alter the ecosystem of more than 1,500 sq kilometers around the “Big Bend” of the Xingu River. Since construction began in June 2011, crime, violence, alcoholism, and prostitution have increased at the nearby city of Altamira, which is straining under the weight of a massively growing migrant population seeking work at the dam. Already, the dam has depleted fish stocks and limited river access to fishermen whose livelihoods depend on the river. The dam has been condemned by indigenous groups for over 20 years. And, as construction continues unabated, a new coalition of indigenous anti-dam protesters has emerged, unwilling to accept any type of remuneration, fearing that they are trading short-term gifts for their constitutionally guaranteed rights to live their traditional lifestyle. As Brazil’s largest and most controversial dam, Belo Monte sets a precedent for the Amazon and may foretell the fate of Brazil’s indigenous rights.

Building Belo Monte, photograph by Taylor Weidman

A Xikrin woman holds her husband's shotgun while he cleans freshly hunted peccary in the river. According to tradition, Xikrin women are not allowed to leave the village while their husbands are out hunting—a wife must patiently wait for his return. The indigenous Xikrin people live on the Bacajà, a tributary of the Xingu River, where construction of the Belo Monte Dam is reaching peak construction. Some scientists warn that the water level of the Bacajà will decrease precipitously due to the dam.

A fishing boat motors through a flooded area on the Bacaja River near Poti-Krô. Motorboats and generators are welcomed as time-saving conveniences, but the gas they use has introduced the constant need for earned income into a traditionally subsistence economy.

Most of the Xikrin end the day with a bath in the river. The Bacaja River plays an important part in the lives of the Poti-Krô Xikrin as a major source of food and transportation. The indigenous Xikrin people live on the Bacajà, a tributary of the Xingu River, where construction of the Belo Monte Dam is reaching peak construction. Some scientists warn that the water level of the Bacajà will decrease precipitously due to the dam.

A Xikrin mother listens to music as she breastfeeds her daughter. The indigenous Xikrin people live on the Bacajà, a tributary of the Xingu River, where construction of the Belo Monte Dam is reaching peak construction. Some scientists warn that the water level of the Bacajà will decrease precipitously due to the dam.

Bekre, a young Xikrin man, plays pool with friends in an Altamira bar. The indigenous Xikrin people live on the Bacajà, a tributary of the Xingu River, where construction of the Belo Monte Dam is reaching peak construction. Some scientists warn that the water level of the Bacajà will decrease precipitously due to the dam.

An indigenous Munduruku man surveys the quarry site for the Belo Monte Dam. Belo Monte will be the world's third-largest dam and is facing strong resistance. On May 27th, an indigenous group made up predominantly of Munduruku occupied the dam and halted construction on the main turbine site.

Indigenous Munduruku men survey the quarry site for the Belo Monte Dam. On May 27th, an indigenous group made up predominantly of Munduruku occupied the dam and halted construction on the main turbine site.

An indigenous Munduruku man and member of the Federal Police argue during an occupation of the Belo Monte Dam. The Belo Monte is the first of a series of dams planned across the Amazon, and the Munduruku have come from the Tapajós River to protest several planned dams there. On May 27th, an indigenous group made up predominantly of Munduruku occupied Belo Monte and halted construction on the main turbine site.

On May 27th, an indigenous group made up predominantly of Munduruku occupied Belo Monte and halted construction on the main turbine site.