My Father's Archives #20

Five weeks to go. Then I'll be meeting my 81-year-old father in Marabá, in the state of Pará, in the Amazon region. From there, a 12-hour bus ride will take us to São Félix do Xingú. The Xingú River is one of Amazon River's biggest tributaries. 
I talked to my parents on Skype yesterday. My father is very excited about us making this trip together (and so am I!). I will meet men from the tribe of the Kayapó who were my buddies in my childhood and, as I'm told, are very excited about seeing me again (and so am I!) MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship - some of the world's best bush pilots) is trying to find a spot for me on one of their Cessnas and fly me into one of the villages for a day or two. 
I have a strong feeling that this trip will be very important for all of us and possibly life-changing for me - one reason why my book is on hold until then.

Today's blip shows two boys from the Kayapó-tribe on their village's air strip. Kayapós shave the front of their heads because they believe that the face extends all the way up to the vertex. Bodypainting is a very important part of their culture. Only women are allowed to paint bodies, and they start doing it when they give birth to their first child. The intricate paintings are like a second skin and gives them identity. Without it, it's almost as if they were non-existent.
In the background you see a Kayapó-boy dressed up as a white gold digger or farmer holding a wooden rifle. There have been many conflicts between the Kayapós and gold diggers and farmers, who regularly invade their territories. Lots of gold and other precious minerals have been found on soil belonging to indigenous peoples. People have died on both sides, and the conflict is ongoing.