By Angel Ferreira (Payayá, CS Intern)
On July 10-12, 2026, the Payayá Territory, located in the municipality of Utinga, the gateway to Chapada Diamantina in Brazil, became the epicenter of ancestral communication and resistance for Indigenous Peoples. The 1st Meeting of Indigenous Youth Communicators of Bahia brought together leaders, Elders, youth from various ethnic groups, and partner organizations with a clear objective: to strengthen the defense of their territories through communication.
Organized by the Indigenous Youth Council of Bahia (COJIBA), the event combined the power of new media with the wisdom of the Elders, consolidating communication as a vital tool for struggle and cultural preservation.
The gathering began with traditional arrival rituals, connecting participants to the spirituality and soil of the Payayá land. The hospitality of the host community was also reflected in the local cuisine. Participants were welcomed with rich, traditional meals from the region, including banana moqueca (a traditional plantain stew) and cuscuz with licuri (steamed cornmeal with licuri palm nut), along with local fruits.
More than just moments of leisure, the guided walks through the territory functioned as practical lessons in historical and environmental contextualization. Each natural space visited carried a profound explanation of its ecological and sacred importance to the Payayá people.
Chief Juvenal Payayá was a prominent presence at the event, sharing ancestral stories and reinforcing the importance of recording and spreading these memories through the hands of the Indigenous people themselves. "The Meeting of Youth Communicators here in the Payayá Territory, I believe, is a significant milestone for the entire Indigenous movement," shared Chief Juvenal Payayá.
During the three days of immersion, the program featured dialogue circles on cosmovisions and practical workshops focused on digital content production, photography, and journalistic coverage techniques.
However, the debate went beyond technical skills. One of the central points of the panel discussions addressed the political role and responsibility of being an Indigenous communicator. In a scenario of growing territorial disputes, the safety of these young people was also a top priority. Participants discussed strategies for digital and physical protection against threats and retaliation faced by those who denounce human rights violations in their communities.
By unifying technology and tradition, COJIBA and the young participants took a crucial step toward ensuring that narratives about the Indigenous Peoples of Bahia are increasingly told in the first person. The 1st Meeting of Indigenous Youth Communicators of Bahia concluded not only with more qualified communicators, but also with a strengthened network of support and mutual protection, ready to echo the voices and resistance of Bahian villages to the world.
