Hydroelectric Amazonia: Cultures Caught in the Crucible of

Brazil is currently engaging in a phase of large-scale infrastructural development projects geared toward increasing economic growth by tapping Amazonian resources. This government-led development is most notable in Brazil’s energy sector, where 30 large hydroelectric dams are planned for the Amazon’s largest tributaries (Fearnside 2012). While ambitious, these initiatives impinge on the basic human rights of indigenous peoples, exposing these cultures to the crucible of rapid acculturation. Such de-velopment is in violation of Brazilian constitutional provisions, which mandate the consultation of these groups whenever proposed projects affect their interests (Jaichand and Sampaio 2013). Brazil’s 1988 Constitution was penned in the wake of delayed construction plans for the government’s cham-pioned hydroelectric dam project, Belo Monte; on hold for political, environmental, human rights, and particularly financial reasons (Jaichand and Sampaio 2013). Brazil is a signatory on multiple interna-tional human rights documents, including the International Labour Organization’s Convention 16