The pandemic of the new coronavirus has reached the indigenous communities of Roraima, and the number of infected and dead increases every day. As another form of support for the communities, the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), in addition to informing through videos, social networks and lives about what COVID-19 is, is now also taking information in native languages.
Focusing on the guidance and prevention of the new coronavirus, the CIR and partners prepared informative folders translated into Wapichana, Macuxi, Taurepang, Ingarikó, Wai-wai and Y'ekuana. The material will be distributed to the ten regions: Serra da lua, Amajari, Serras, Raposa, Tabaio, Auto Cuamé, Baixo Cotingo, Murupú, Surumu and Wai-wai.
In addition to social distancing, information can also help save lives. This is what one of the translators of the initiative, lawyer Ivo Cípio, who translated it into the Macuxi language, explains. "Through language, the understanding of the disease becomes clearer and this helps to prevent the spread of the virus, in addition to raising awareness among our people," he explained.
In addition to Ivo Cípio, the translators were Cléia Alice Moraes da Silva (Waiwai), Nilzimara de Souza Silva (Wapichana), Josué Barbosa Andrade (Ingarikó), Jairo David Rodrigues (Yekuana) and Ana Paula Taurepang.
"We hope that this action will further strengthen activities at sanitary barriers, reducing cases and deaths from COVID-19 in our communities," said the coordinator of the CIR, Enock Taurepang.
The material was produced in partnership between the CIR and the Federal University of Roraima (UFRR), the Insikiran Institute, the Bem Viver Project, Nature and Culture International, Niatero and the Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (Coiab).
FOLDER-INGARIKÓ-RGB-1 (opens in new window) FOLDER-MACUXI-1 (opens in new window) FOLDER-TAUREPANG-RGB-1-1 (opens in new window) FOLDER-WAI-WAI-1 (opens in new window) FOLDER-YEKUANA-2 (opens in new window) FOLDER-WAPICHANA-1 (opens in new window)