Sydney Possuelo
Explorer, ethnologist, and former president of FUNAI (Brazil’s National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples), Sydney Possuelo is one of the leading experts on isolated Indigenous peoples in Brazil. A close friend of Chief Raoni and longtime defender of the Kayapo people, he has dedicated his life to the recognition of Indigenous rights and the protection of their territories, particularly in the Amazon.
He led the FUNAI’s Department of Isolated Peoples for decades, conducting numerous field expeditions and contributing to the demarcation of vast Indigenous lands. Internationally recognized for his commitment, he advocates for an ethical approach rooted in respect for the self-determination of uncontacted peoples.
Sydney Possuelo appears in the film Amazonia, the Heart of Mother Earth, which he strongly supports. He is also a valuable ally of the broader initiative led by Planète Amazone, sharing the conviction that the survival of Indigenous peoples is inseparable from that of the Amazon — and of humanity as a whole.