Dzoodzo Baniwa is a leader from the Alto Río Negro area in Amazonas. He won a Bunge Foundation award for his work on the climate emergency and for new ideas in agricultural sciences. The prize noted links between indigenous knowledge and scientific practice.
Baniwa grew up with parents who were illiterate. He helped start and teach at an indigenous school and later studied at higher education institutions. He also helped build a water pumping system that needs no electricity. He advises on indigenous school education and helped produce a book about birds in Portuguese, Nheengatu and Baniwa.
Difficult words
- indigenous — people or cultures native to a region
- illiterate — unable to read and write
- award — a prize given for good work
- climate — the usual weather and environmental conditions
- education — teaching and learning in schools or collegeshigher education
- pump — a machine that moves water or liquidpumping
- advise — to give advice or suggestions to someoneadvises
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Discussion questions
- Why are links between indigenous knowledge and scientific practice important?
- Would you like to learn about birds in more than one language? Why or why not?
- Have you ever helped start a school or a community project? Describe it briefly.
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