Das preocupacões dos índios ao Encontro de Canarana

Em meados nos anos 1990, as lideranças do Parque Indígena do Xingu, no nordeste de Mato Grosso, manifestaram sua preocupação com a situação da ocupação e do desmatamento no seu entorno e com assoreamento dos rios que cortam a área.

O Parque Indígena do Xingu é um dos maiores símbolos da diversidade sócio-cultural e biológica do Brasil. Criado em 1961, é uma das terras indígenas mais conhecidas do País, abrigando 14 etnias e cerca de cinco mil pessoas. A criação do Parque resultou do trabalho dos mais importantes sertanistas brasileiros, entre eles os irmãos Villas-Bôas.

O ISA (Instituto Socioambiental), que atua na região desde 1994, por meio do Programa Xingu, incorporou a questão e desenvolveu a idéia juntamente com vários parceiros - índios, fazendeiros, agricultores familiares, pesquisadores, organizações da sociedade civil entre outros.

Cerca de 340 representantes desses segmentos reuniram-se no Encontro Nascentes do Rio Xingu, na cidade mato-grossense de Canarana, entre os dias 25 e 27 de outubro de 2004, e foi assim que teve início a campanha 'Y Ikatu Xingu, pela recuperação e proteção das nascentes e cabeceiras do rio Xingu.

COMFIRAM A CAMPANHA, FAÇA VALER! clique aqui

Para aqueles que se preocupam com o futuro de nossa floresta....

O Greenpeace criou um abaixo-assinado que será entregue ao nosso presidente, fazendo exigências com relação à preservação da Floresta Amazônica.

Vale a pena assinar! é uma boa campanha!

 

O Clube da Semente é um Organismo Não Governamental (ONG), que tem como objetivo básico desenvolver um trabalho de conscientização ambiental capaz de promover a conciliação da preservação de espécies (arbóreas) da flora brasileira com a elevação da qualidade de vida humana, a partir do uso socialmente justo e ecologicamente sustentável da diversidade biológica.

by Crystal Dragon from OBOD

Introduction

Coping with the death of a pet is very similar in many ways to when a human dies. However, given that all living beings are ‘born to die’, sadly death continues to be a taboo subject for many.

It is a fact, that few pets pass peacefully away in their sleep and often owners find themselves at their local veterinary practice with some very hard decisions to make in a very short space of time but more on that later. Many people are surprised by the intense grief they experience on the death of a pet, this is because it can act as a type of emotional trigger, which may release years of pent-up emotions. Generally there are a few main stages to grieving that have to be worked through. The way we grieve is a very individual thing and whilst some may work through the process in a relatively short space of time, others will take longer and possibly get stuck on one of the stages when a little help may be required to help them through.

Then of course, apart from the animals owner and family, we have to remember any other animals that shared their lives with the departed one. Animals do grieve and there is actually ongoing research being done into this subject at present.

There is so much involved with the death of a pet that I have decided just to cover the main points in the hope that it will give the reader some ’food for thought’. I will not go into too much detail but if you find yourself getting upset at any stage when reading the following, stop and return to it at a later time.

The Death

As already mentioned, few animals these days pass away naturally and peacefully in their sleep. Some sadly die as the result of being hit by a vehicle and like humans, they can suffer heart attacks and kidney failure. If however you have a very ill or elderly animal that has to be taken to the vet, do you know what happens or what to expect. In general most small animals are ‘put to sleep’ by means of an injection. It is usually a very quick process, the speed of which sometimes surprises owners. The owner must then decide whether to stay with their pet or withdraw whilst the injection is administered. Personally, I like to stay with my ‘little ones’ when the time comes to say that final farewell, to wish for a peaceful transition and to send loving wishes for the next stage of their journey. My husband however is unable to do this and I know many people who are unable to remain at this time. It is a very personal thing and you must do what feels right for you. No-one will think the worst of you, if you decide not to stay for the final moments. If you are very distressed, your pet will also be aware of this. However, do not be embarrassed to shed a few tears, you will not be the first person to do so and I always do afterwards. If you want to say ‘good bye’ and spend a minute or two with your pet after your vet has completed the procedure, say so, this should not be a problem.

It is also possible in some cases, to have an animal ‘put to sleep’ in its home environment. From personal experience I would urge anyone considering this, to think about it carefully. I have had 3 pets die at home, one suddenly with heart problems, and 2 that were vet assisted. The main problem I have found with this is that the spot/area where they die tends to act as a reminder of their death for a long, long, time.

Also if the procedure is done at your veterinary practice, your vet has everything he needs including the help of trained nurses, close at hand in the event of any unexpected complications which I will say from experience are rare but do happen on occasions.

Do not be afraid to ask at your local veterinary practice about animal euthanasia, there will be someone there, probably a practice nurse, who will be happy to talk you through it. A Pet Bereavement Counsellor will also be able to explain everything to you and help afterwards ir required. Talking to someone qualified in this area can help greatly. Do not wait until the actual time of death, being prepared and having a chance to decide what you want well in advance can help enormously. It means you are able to make well informed decisions, knowing what you want for your pet rather than making hasty decisions that you may regret at a later time.

The Remains

Following the death, decisions then have to be made about the remains. If you have a garden, you may decide to bury your pet there if there are no local restrictions preventing this. If you do not have a garden but would like your pet buried, there are pet cemeteries, you would probably find your local one in Yellow Pages. The other option is cremation which either your vet will arrange for you, or, you can arrange yourself with the appropriate people. If your vet arranges cremation, think carefully about whether you would like your pets ashes back or not - you can not ask for them to be returned at a later date. Cremation with the ashes being returned is more expensive than not having them back but it depends upon your wishes. Some owners like to scatter the ashes and perform a little ceremony, as with a burial. I like to plant something that will be a pleasant reminder for the future and place the ashes in the soil at time of planting. Again it has to be what feels right for you.

There are companies that will perform the burial for you just like a human one, it is possible these days to have whatever you wish, at a price of course.

On this website you will also find appropriate words that can be said or used as a guide but you may have ideas of your own. Whatever the words, providing they come from the heart they will be fine.

Grieving

Firstly, never, ever tell anyone who has recently experienced the death or loss of a pet to pull themselves together and get on with life as after all it was only a animal!!

As previously mentioned there are several main grieving stages: there is the initial shock/numbness; followed by a yearning for the departed pet; then there are usually feelings of anger, despair and disorganisation. Many owners try to blame either themselves or their vet, for their pets death. Thinking that they should have done more for their pet, or that the vet should have done more, and so on. When these stages have been worked through, it should be possible to move on with life. The aim, as with a human death, is to be able to remember the departed one with a smile and fond/happy memories. There is no set time in which to complete the grieving process, we are all individuals. The main thing is to grieve, do not be afraid to have a good cry, this helps to release the tension within you. If you need permission to grieve, then you have mine as a bereavement counsellor. This may seem a strange thing to say but many years ago when my father died from cancer, I got stuck on the shock/numbness stage and eventually it made me ill. I had been brought up not to show my emotions, stiff upper lip and all that, and it was a homeopathic practitioner a few years later that helped me to release many years of pent up emotion and to complete my grieving process.

In addition to the emotional affects of grief, many people will also experience physical signs such as loss of appetite, feeling sick, being unable to sleep, crying, etc.

People may find they experience similar emotional and physical symptoms when an animal goes missing, it can be a very stressful time. The ‘not knowing what has happened factor’ can play heavily on the mind.

Children and death

The death of a pet can be a child’s first experience with death and here, the age of the child/children would be an important factor. It is considered best to tell a child using simple factual explanations using the words ‘dead’ and ‘died’ but sayings such as ‘gone to heaven’ or ‘taken by God’ should be avoided as they may confuse a child and frighten them. It is important not to dismiss any questions asked by a child but perhaps similar to when a child starts to ask about the ‘facts of life’, it is wise to answer only what is asked. A child will ask more questions in their own time as they think things through. When dealing with death, if a child asks a question about death that you can not answer, do not make up an answer, be truthful and say that you don’t have an answer to that particular question. Open, honest communications are best at all times, involve your children in the process, do not ignore them. Explain to them that it is normal to cry and to experience a variety of feelings they have not felt before. Do not be afraid to let your children see that you are saddened by the death of your pet, this can sometimes help them to understand their own sadness.

Similar to pets that grieve for a lost companion, children may also show changes in behaviour. Watch for any changes in behaviour and act accordingly, if the child is of school age it is worth letting a teacher know what has happened so that they are able to understand and help the child at school if necessary.

The possible effects of an animal (or human) death on other pets or companion animals

Animals are more intelligent than most people think and they do having feelings just like us. Animals are rather like children in many ways but they all have their own personalities and are beings that should be treated with kindness and respect.

It is only recently that research has begun into the effects of grief in animals. A survey of 160 households in America showed that following the death of a companion cat, the surviving cats recorded in the survey, tended to eat less, sleep more, and vocalise more. It was noted that all pets that lost a companion were behaving normally again within a six month period.

Some animals may appear not to be affected by the death of a companion animal, some may even seem happier, more outgoing, especially when a dominant animal passes on. In a multi pet household/environment, it is common following the death of one of the animals for there to be a period of uncertainty/change. This is to allow for a new hierarchy to be established and may cause a few changes in behaviour of the animals whilst this process takes place.

We then come to animals who grieve for their companion and this can become apparent in many ways - watch for any changes to usual behaviour. An owner may notice that a pet has gone off its food, this in turn can lead to loss of weight. A tendency to over groom, a sign of anxiety, may also occur. An animal may also become lethargic, changes in temperament may also be noticed and indoor spraying may occur.

DO NOT punish the animal or tell it off. If owners are concerned by any changes in their pets behaviour they should consult their vet to check the reason for the changes in case any treatment is required.

It can be helpful in some cases to let the other household pets or close companions such as a related animal, see the dead animal for a short while, this can help them come to terms with the loss but is not always possible. Owners should try to spend more time with their pets following a death, to reassure and comfort them. Make time each day to groom your pet(s), play with them and if one of a close pair has died, make time just to be with the remaining pet as they may well be feeling very lonely and just being there for them can help them greatly whilst they adjust to their loss.

Animals can also grieve when a human who had been important in their lives dies, such as their owner or member of the household. I have also seen cats who have been affected when their owners have battled through serious illness such as cancer - they can become stressed, anxious, go off their food, experience behaviour changes, and so on. Similar changes in fact to those noticed following a death.

Following the death of a pet DO NOT rush out to obtain a replacement without giving the matter careful consideration, it is not always the answer and can create further problems. People tend to think that if they buy a similar pet, i.e. same breed, that it will be the same as the pet they have lost. This is not the case, the personality of the new animal will generally be different, some of the breed traits will be there but there will be a difference. Also, getting another animal for an animal that has lost its companion needs very careful consideration. Don’t expect your pet to immediately welcome a new comer to the home. Sometimes it works with careful choosing and initial introductions but it can also lead to problems if they do not accept one another.

Helpful tips:

When one of a pair of cats dies, especially for oriental cats, a teddy bear can be a great new friend and comforter. This can also work with very young and elderly animals. Please make sure though that the teddy bear is a suitable size and safe.

Bach Flower Rescue Remedy is also excellent to help both animals and humans at time of loss. It helps with the effects of shock and stress and it will not harm the animal. Just put a few drops into their water bowl each day.

Talking to someone who is not closely involved can help greatly, especially if that person is trained in bereavement counselling, they will listen carefully to you and help you come to terms with your loss.

As I mentioned at the start, death and the effects of death, is a vast subject and it is not possible to cover everything here. I hope however this article will be of help and interest to some and if you want any further information please talk to your vet or contact a Companion Animal (Pet) Bereavement Counsellor. I am always happy to talk or correspond with. I can be contacted through my website: www.treetops-cattery.com

or

http://www.pagan-transitions.org.uk/pets.html

Mystery has always surrounded the how a country in Latin America ended up with a name of Celtic origin. In traditional Irish legends, the phantom island of Brâzil was believed to lie off the south-west coast of Connacht in western Ireland. It was named after Bres, the son of Ériu whose father was a Formorian sea god, Elatha. Consequently, according to Michael Dames "Bresil" was a magical realm - neither sea nor land, yet both. According to Dames:

"Brazil, South America, was named after it". (Mythic Ireland (Thames and Hudson, London, UK, 1992).

Apparently well into the early 20th century, the Gaelic speaking people of the Aran Islands in Galway Bay believed that what they knew from legend as the mythical land of Brazil was visible every seven years. To earlier generations of people living in Connacht (the province of which Galway is the capital), Brazil was known as the Isle of the Living, the Isle of Truth, of Joy, of Fair Women, and of Apples. Other early Celtic legends also say that the island only appeared at sunset in the mists of the Atlantic and they called it:

"The blessed stormless isle, where all men are good and all the women pure and where God retreats for a recreation from the rest of us". (Summer of the Red Wolf by Niorris West, William Heinemann Ltd, UK, 1971)

In one account from the 17th century recounted by Dames, Captain John Nisbet of Lisneskay, Co. Fermanagh, claimed to have landed on the island and found cattle, sheep, horses, black rabbits, and a strong castle. Nisbet knocked on the door in vain - but there was no answer. When night came he made his way to the beach with his eight companions and lit a fire. Then a "hideous noise" ensured and they fled to the boat. When they returned the next day, the found an old Scottish gentlemen and servants on the shore, dressed in outdated clothes and talking "old fashioned speech". The old man claimed to have been imprisoned there by a necromancer and confirmed that the island was indeed "O Brazile".

Some also believe that the Brazil was is the disputed island of Rockall in the Atlantic Ocean (a small island some 84 feet wide and 70 feet of so above sea level), that was annexed by the UK in 1955 and is claimed as Irish territory, is the last remaining part of the lost land of Brazil.

Another hypothesis is that an Irish monk - Saint Brendan, had been to a land he called Hy Brazil. The island of Saint Brendan or Brazil of Saint Brendan was one of the names that could be seen in maps found in the early Middle Ages-around the 9th Century. This island was a mythological place:

"Where bells tolled over the old sea and the island seemed to vanish in the horizon every time the sailors tried to reach it"

According to this version of the legend, Hy Brazil was discovered by Saint Brendan, who left Ireland in 565 A.D. In my view, if St. Brendan visited any island, he may have found the island of Rockall and assumed that it was part of the mythical land of Brazil, which he would have known about as it had been mentioned in Irish legends going back some 3000 years. Bres after all was the son of Eriu, the mythical Goddess who gave her name to Eire (Ireland), which indicates that this was one of the earliest Irish legends.

Brazil was certainly well known during medieval times when explorers from Europe where setting out to discover what they called the "New World": In the period of 1351 up to around 1731, the name Hy Brazil could be found on most European sea maps, always showing it as an island in the Atlantic Ocean. According to A Russell-Wood:

Fourteenth century maps carried the reference to Insule Sancti Brandani, recalling the legendary voyages of the sixth century Irish monk in search of the "Promised Land of the Saints" which were to be recorded in Latin prose in the ninth century Navigatio Brendani. These islands 'migrated' from north of Europe to the west. Since the early fourteenth century, there had been references to an island called Brasil not far west of Ireland. Both name and island moved westwards, being transformed into a landmass and recognized as such by Duarte Pacheco Pereira in his Esmeraldo de situ orbis.

The mythical island of Hy Brazil appeared out in the Atlantic to the west of Ireland in charts as early as 1325, as well in the famous Catalan Atlas dated 1375 and, subsequently, on numerous maps for the next 200 years, including Waldseemuller's map of the British Isles issued at Strassburg in 1513 and its later editions. It was also shown on Toscanelli's chart dated about 1457 which was said to have been used by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage in 1492. This is highly significant as it indicates that if Brazil was known to Columbus, then it would almost certainly have been known to Pedro Alvares Cabral (1460-1526) who "discovered" Brazil in 1500.

To add to the confusion that faced early explorers using these maps, some early charts also depicted the mythical land of Brazil far out in the ocean half way to Zipangu (Japan). Apparently Brazil been 'sighted' so often that early geographers were reluctant to abandon the possibility of its existence. In fact, it was not finally removed from British Admiralty charts until the 1865.

So how did the country called Brazil end up with it's name ? One theory says that Brazil was initially colonized by people coming from Viana do Castelo (in northern Portugal), and that through the knowledge of legends from the Celts in Galicia, they would have been aware of the lost continent of Brazil. And not only Columbus, but other early explorers from England knew about the lost land of Brazil. According to The Island of Brazil, a contemporary account written by William of Worcester (and published in the late 18th century) recalled that when word of a "new land to the west" reached Bristol in the late 1470s this was presumed to be Brazil. In 1480, a Bristol merchant John Jay outfitted at great expense an 80-tonne ship to sail to the island of Brazil, described as "a name often given in medieval European tales to a land far to the west of Ireland". Setting sail in July 1480 from Bristol, Jay's ship voyaged west, intending to "traverse the seas." But the journey ended in failure. English crews had yet to master the new methods of astronomical navigation devised in Portugal and Spain: open, oceanic voyaging - as opposed to island hopping by way of Iceland and Greenland.

In the Welsh and Cornish myths, Bresal was a High King who made his home in the Otherworld "which is sometimes called Hy- or I-Breasal in his honor". Like in the Irish myth, "His world is visible on only one night every seven years". Thus, it is clear that the Celts of Galicia, Cornwall, Wales, Ireland and sailors from England all knew of the legend of the lost land of Brazil. Would it then be unreasonable to assume that when Portuguese explorers reached South America they mistakenly thought they had landed on Breasal's world and named the land they discovered "Brazil" in his honour ?

Of course, it is possible that the name of the country called Brazil is not connected with the Celtic myth - but in my opinion this theory is not convincing. In this account, the word "Brazil" is derived from the Portuguese and Spanish word "Brasil", the name of an East Indian tree with reddish-brown wood from which a red dye was extracted. The Portuguese found a New World tree related to the Old World brasil tree when they explored what is now called Brazil, and "as a result they named the New World country after the Old World tree". The authors are clearly not aware of how most of the Celtic nations (especially Galicia) - themselves with a history of seafaring as old as the Portuguese and Spanish - had there own legends of the mythical continent of Brazil.

Of course, we do not know if Cabral in 1500 knew about the legends of the lost land of Brazil from the of the Celt's of Galicia when he claimed the land of Brazil for the Portuguese Crown in 1500. It is interesting to speculate as to whether Cabral himself was of Celtic origin. Some writers believe that the Cabral family in Portugal came originally from Galicia, from one of two towns of that name, and that they arrived in Portugal very early presumably before the Islamic conquest of the Iberian peninsula. Another link is that Irish legend records that the Irish people are themselves descended from the Milesians who with their King, Heber, and the Bard Amergen, came from Galicia around 1268 BC and conqured Ireland, as noted by Robert Graves in his classic book The White Goddess (1961, 1972 Farrar, Strauss and Giroux New York, USA).

Either way, it is my view that most evidence concerning the origin of the land of Brazil suggest that it was of Celtic origin, and that this same name ended being given to the land of Brazil when it was "discovered" by Cabral, as it featured on most nautical maps at the time, and because the Celtic myth of the lost land of Brazil was certainly known to Spanish and Portuguese explorers.

Seán Mac Mathúna

Impressionante como as pessoas passam por um periodo silencioso após ver este vídeo pela primeira vez...esta propaganda INSPIRADORA criada pela agencia brasileira Demi9 - DDB nos faz pensar por dias!

Hi Friends..Wear sunscreen! If I could did a advice related to the future, I "If I could give an advice in relation to the future, I would say: They use solar filter"(...) Thus starts one of the texts more beautiful than already I read, and it is inside of this spirit that I invite to who to want to change ideas, experiences, and messages of life, love, happiness, as of the "Filtro Solar".

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has just unveiled its own unofficial version of the science-fiction epic. Its 5-minute short subject—Store Wars: The Organic Rebellion—is a supermarket-based parody of the early Star Wars movies.
The organic-food-growers' film opens with Obi-Wan Cannoli entreating Cuke Skywalker to help rescue Princess Lettuce from Darth Tater on the Dark Side of the farm. Along the way, Cuke—the lightsaber-wielding knight—recruits Ham Solo and Chewbroccoli to lead a rebellion in support of organic agriculture.

ONG que conta com doações e trabalho vonluntário p adoção de bichinhos.
Minha gatinha veio de lá! confiram!

Os que conhecem a casa dos meus pais ( e anteriormente o apartamento da praia) sabem que a casa é cheia de lembranças que tem mais valor emocional do que material.
Cito: uma estátua em mármore que meus pais viram quando começaram namorar, em uma loja em SP e compraram logo antes de casar (ela os esperou), esse mesma estátua fica em uma pedestal de mármore feito pelo meu avô na antiga marmoraria da familia da minha mãe. Máscaras do Peru, Mascaras de bali, um espelho que tem nome ( Portal ao Paraíso), e lá, num cantinho, um totem de madeira, feito à mão, vindo do Alaska, sobre um apoio em estilo barroco (onde meu pai sonha por um São Francisco de Assis, mas ainda insisto que o apoio é do totem! risos).

Sempre adimirado, mas nunca estudado, o totem ficou lá, até que semana passada...
resolvi pega-lo para examinar melhor...e descobri sua história!
No Alaska, totems de corvos, como o meu, são sagrados, pois contam a história do nascimento do País.
Semelhante à história da Arca de Noé, para os nativos, durante um grande dilúvio, um grande corvo juntou casais de todas as espécies e levou à mais alta montanha, acima das nuvens, perto dos Deuses até que a água baixasse. E então ele trouxe todos os animais de volta para repopular a região. E desde então o corvo é um poderoso simbolo para esse povo. E a paritr de então, um protetor da nossa casa.
Agora, como o totem chegou na casa dos meus pais, isso é outra história!