The article discusses the ongoing protests by Indigenous and riverside communities in the Tapajós region of Brazil, who have set up camp in front of a major agribusiness port in Santarém, PA. These communities are not merely asking for recognition but are vocally demanding that the Brazilian government acknowledges the rivers as subjects of rights, highlighting their profound, ancestral relationship with the waterways. They argue that like all living beings, rivers are vital to their cultural identity and need protection from exploitation.

The Tapajós River is portrayed not just as a geographical entity but as a living part of the Amazon rainforest and a critical ecosystem that supports biodiversity, including the pink river dolphin and countless families. The communities contend that the river is integral to their livelihoods, shaping their identities and cultures. It regulates the climate, sustains agriculture, and forms the very backdrop against which their lives unfold. For them, the river transcends being a mere resource; it embodies familial connections, homes, and places of communal history.

The article underscores a broader issue of environmental and cultural rights in the Amazon, suggesting that when the state views the river merely as infrastructure to be utilized, it disrupts an ancient understanding and bond that local communities have with their land. This viewpoint presents a critique of the dominant agribusiness narrative that prioritizes economic development over environmental and cultural stewardship, urging for a paradigm shift that respects the rights of nature and the voices of its stewards.