Letter from Davi Kopenawa Yanomami (Brazil)(translated from Portuguese original)

Demini VillageNovember I 1 ,2002

Dear Public Defenders:

We Yanomami want to send this letter to you because we are upset about the blood of ourdeceased relatives that is stored in refrigerators in the United States.

I spoke with my people, the Yanomarni of Toototobi village, where the Americansextracted blood. The elders said that they are angered because the blood of the deceased

is being stored by people far away. Our custom is to mourn the dead, burn their bodies,destroy everything they used, and wail. Nothing is allowed to remain, otherwise peoplebecome angry and their thoughts will not calm down. The Americans did not respect ourcustom in this regard. Therefore we want the vials of blood sent back along witheverything else they extracted from the blood to study.

We need your help to speak with the Americans who have our blood so they will retumit. Thank you.

Sincere.ly,

Davi Kopenarva Yanomami

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