Brazilian DJ and music producer Alok received an award at the Festival de Cannes, in France, last Sunday (21), for his work in support of the cause of Brazilian indigenous peoples.
Alok, who accumulates hits like “Hear Me Now” and “Alive (It Feels Like), was honored during an event promoted by the Better World Fund and organized by the Amazônia Fund Alliance/Unesco in the French Riviera.
The DJ’s performance was recognized for his commitment to the rights and culture of indigenous peoples in the context of promoting a more sustainable world.
The trophy was received by federal deputy Célia Xakriabá and by Chief Mapu Huni Kuī, who is currently on Rede Globo’s telenovela “Terra e Paixão”.
“On behalf of our dear friend and DJ Alok, we are here to thank you for this award and to remind everyone of the importance of preserving the forest, indigenous voices. It is not enough to know the song, the sacred prayers of the original peoples, it is also necessary to protect the voices and lives of these people who sing, and Alok understood this. This award is for him, because he learned not only how to sing, but also the importance of protecting and defending the voices and bodies of indigenous people,” said the deputy.
Alok was on tour in the United States, where he performed in Las Vegas, and was unable to attend the event in person. However, he spoke via video call and reaffirmed the importance of native peoples occupying the most diverse social spaces.
“I want to share this award with the Brazilian indigenous community that has been fighting for centuries to value their identity and their right to live. In Brazil, what is taught in schools until today is a colonizing vision that omits the importance of the culture, knowledge and wisdom of a people who for thousands of years have lived respecting, celebrating and preserving nature”
DJ Alok
The artist also recalled when, in 2015, he had his first contact with the Yawanawa people, in the depths of the Amazon.
“There, with them, I realized that while I was making music looking for a formula to reach success, music for them had a function: to heal people and bring balance and awareness about how we can live in harmony with nature. Today, when we look for solutions to the impact caused by climate change, the only certainty I have is that we need to listen to what the forest has to say. And the best way to do this is through the music of the guardians of the forests”, he added.
During the event, the DJ also spoke about the “Ancestrais do Futuro” fund, a partnership between the Alok Institute, the UN Global Compact and the Welight Institute.
The project seeks to provide technical and financial support to projects that strengthen the native peoples of Brazil in the areas of culture and entertainment, conservation and environmental regeneration and quality of life in the villages. The action also includes financing indigenous film productions.
Last month, Alok attended the opening ceremony of the 19th edition of Acampamento Terra Livre, at the Chamber of Deputies, in Brasília. On the occasion, he defended a “green economy” and the encouragement of a greater role for indigenous peoples in the entertainment industry.
In September of last year, he and some indigenous artists performed at the UN’s “Climate Week”, in New York, to promote the environmental agenda and the ancestral culture of indigenous peoples in Brazil during the 77th General Assembly of the United Nations.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
