The meeting was organized by leaders of the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Land.
The Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), represented by the tuxaua-general Amarildo Macuxi, participated in the II Seminar "The Struggle for the Liberation of the Santa Cruz Community", held between July 12 and 14 in the Santa Cruz indigenous community, Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Region. The event brought together indigenous leaders from different ethnoregions of Roraima, who recalled one of the most striking episodes in the struggle for the territorial rights of indigenous peoples in the state.
Held annually, the meeting seeks to keep alive the memory of the community's resistance, honor the leaders who participated in the struggle for the liberation of Santa Cruz and transmit this legacy to new generations. The General Tuxaua of the CIR, Amarildo Macuxi, highlighted that the seminar is a moment of reflection on the trajectory of the community and also on the advances achieved over the last decades.
"The importance of holding this event is to rescue history, suffering and evaluate how the community has improved over the years, building projects aimed at good living," he said.
According to the tuxaua, in addition to territorial defense, the CIR continues to support initiatives aimed at strengthening communities, such as sustainable livestock and family farming projects, developed after the demarcation of the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Land.
During the seminar, leaders who participated directly in the events of 1987 shared accounts of the period in which the community lived under constant human rights violations.
The tuxaua of the Jiboia community, Maria Cleonice, was present during the well-known Battle of Santa Cruz and recalled the episodes of violence faced by the indigenous people. At the time, residents were prevented from planting, raising animals and moving freely. They also faced violence practiced by farmers and their allies, a scenario that led indigenous leaders from different regions of Raposa Serra do Sol to unite in defense of the community.
"When I was three months pregnant, I was beaten in the belly. They poured our flour, threw our food on the ground. We fought, we were beaten. We suffered a lot, but we managed to win, today the old farm is a state school," said the leader.
In addition to honoring the leaders who marked the history of the community, the seminar also aimed to bring the youth closer to this process of resistance. For the young leader Miriam Rosas Macuxi, preserving this memory is essential to ensure the continuity of the defense of the territory.
"It is very important to remember the struggle of our leaders. They left us a free territory. Now it is up to us to ensure what was conquered with firmness and resistance," he said.
Alcídes Constantino, regional coordinator of Baixo Cotingo at the time, participated in the struggle for the defense of territorial rights and stressed that the history of the demarcation of Raposa Serra do Sol had one of its main milestones in Santa Cruz and that transmitting this knowledge to new generations is a way to strengthen the organization of indigenous peoples.
"We experienced the struggle of Santa Cruz and we hope that these young people value and continue this legacy, making decisions to continue this path."
By bringing together leaders, young people and survivors of the struggle for the liberation of the community, the seminar reaffirmed the collective commitment to preserve memory, strengthen resistance and ensure that the history of Santa Cruz continues to be told to future generations.