What we wrote when Ailton took part in Episode 11, 2024 (via pre-recorded video):

Ailton Krenak is considered one of the great leaders of the Brazilian indigenous movement. Since the 1980’s he’s been instrumental in bringing together the 180 different indigenous tribes of Brazil in multiple collective formations, as well as overcoming historical tensions between the indigenous peoples and the rubber tappers, to collectively organise against the capitalist bondage of the future.

He famously functioned as a representative of indigenous peoples at the debates on the 1988 Brazilian Constitution, where he ritually painted his face during a speech. This speech/ performance helped defeat the political slight of hand that would have ‘granted’ indigenous peoples’ Brazilian citizenship and rights, as a way to remove their immanent sociality and any claims they had to their traditional lands, thus opening those lands up to extraction and exploitation.

He either co-founded or participated in multiple indigenous rights organisations, such as the União dos Povos Indígenas (Union of Indigenous Peoples), the Aliança dos Povos da Floresta (Alliance of Forest-dwelling Peoples), the Núcleo de Cultura Indígena (Nucleus of Indigenous Culture), among others. From 2003 to 2010, Krenak was special aide for indigenous affairs to the governor of Minas Gerais. In 2016, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, where he teaches about culture, history and traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples. In October 2023, he was elected to the Brazilian Academy of Letters, being the first indigenous Brazilian to join the institution.

He has published over 15 books. Some of them have been translated into more than 13 languages. In recognition of his intellectual contributions, he was honoured with the prestigious Juca Pato award for ‘intellectual of the year’ by the Brazilian Writers Union in 2020. Presently, he resides in the Krenak Indigenous Reserve, situated in the municipality of Resplendor, Minas Gerais. Ailton can no longer attend in person, but will participate by video.