For thousands years the Warao people lived along the Orinoco river’s basin, in Venezuela. However, since the oil industry’s implementation in the area, the indigenous were forced to leave their ancestral lands.

Their name means “the boat people”, due to nomadic lifestyle always traveling in their small boats along the river, and since their lands were polluted they moved to distant places. Due to social vulnerability and sanitary differences, they were contaminated by HIV, and since then started moving to Brazil, where free treatment and medices are provided at the public health system.

Past almost one decade since the first group arrived in Brazil, they are now considered a climate refugee group and is believed that at least 50% of their individuals are now living in the country.

This work was published at National Geographic Brasil and seeks to document this indigenous group considered the first foreigner indigenous population living in the country.