Guarani Suicides

Guarani suicides, originally uploaded by Tatiana Cardeal.

Much of their land has been stolen from them. This crisis has driven over 300 Guarani, mainly adolescent to kill themselves.
The Guarani-Kaiowá in Brazil suffer particularly from this, and it has led to severe depression. Three hundred and twenty Guarani-Kaiowá committed suicide between 1986 and the beginning of 2000, the youngest being just 9 years old.

They are a deeply spiritual people, who believe they were the first people to be created by the "great father", Ñande-Ru. For the Guarani the "terra sem mal", or "land without evil", is the resting place of the soul after death. It is essential for the soul to arrive there so it can rest peacefully.

Indigenous Meeting at Betioga City.
The Guarani People live in many Brazilian's States.
Population about 35.000, in 1998.

From a Photo Series by Tatiana Cardeal, São Paulo - Brazil.