Although he is based in Jamaica, musician Sawandi Simon is helping the plight of Brazilian indigenous people through music.
Simon said he was contacted by a member of Indigenous Resistance Records, which is located in Brazil, to work on the song, Galdino Pataxo Warrior, that is dedicated to the indigenous people there. He explained that this group uses music to raise awareness of the struggles faced by indigenous people in Brazil.
He said the decision to do the song was sparked by the death of a young indigenous activist, Galdino, who was burnt to death while he slept waiting for a bus to get back home. Galdino had missed his bus after a meeting in the city.
“While he was asleep, some boys set him on fire as a joke. It shows how some people view them as sub-humans. And, what they got (as punishment) was a slap on the wrist,” Simon told The Sunday Gleaner.
Simon said the indigenous people had been going through many struggles since the Europeans colonised the country. He also noted that they were often treated harshly by the rest of the population.