The Tragedy of the Krenak People for the Death of the Doce / Uatu River, in the Disaster Of Samarco / Vale / BHP, Brazil

Abstract

In 2015, Brazil witnessed the biggest environmental disaster of its history - the rupture of the Samarco / Vale / BHP mining dam in Mariana-MG. The impacts of this tragedy have brought environmental, social, and economic damages, among others. One of the most exploited peoples was the Krenak - whose lands are located on the banks of the river, which they call Uatu (Rio Grande / Rio Doce). The objective of the article is to describe the impacts of the disaster on the sustainability of the Krenak people. It was a qualitative research, case study, which used primary and secondary data. The results demonstrate the death of fish, and other animals, important for a traditional Krenak food safety. As families were left without drinking water, that made impossible social activities, education, health, culture, religion, economy and leisure. In the view of the Krenak people, the major consequence was the death of Uatu, subtracting an important element of their identity, territoriality and sustainability.

Keywords

• Desastre da Samarco/Vale/BHP
• Rio Doce-Uatu
• Sustentabilidade
• Krenak.