‘The river is life’ - a photographer among the Arawete in Brazil

Alice Kohler shares photos and thoughts on her time in the Xingu river basin in the Brazilian Amazon

Alice Kohler is a Brazilian photographer who has visited over 20 countries during her career. In Brazil in particular she has travelled into some of the remotest parts of the Amazon basin and spent time with many of the country's indigenous peoples, including the Araweti(C), Asurini, Guarani, Kamaiura, Karaji, Kayapo, Kuikuro, Parakani, Pareci, Xavante and Yawalapiti.

An exhibition of Kohler's photographs of the Araweti(C) opens in Cusco in neighbouring Peru today, held at a newly-opened Amazon-themed gallery run by Peruvian company Xapiri. Kohler and Xapiri are holding the exhibition out of concern for the impacts on the Araweti(C) and many others of the Belo Monte dam complex - arguably the world's most well-known hydroelectric power project because of the opposition it has generated - as well as plans by a Canadian-headquartered company, Belo Sun Mining, to develop what would reportedly be Brazil's biggest open sky gold mine.