Claudia Andujar

Swiss-Brazilian photographer and activist who dedicated her life to protecting the Yanomami people in the Amazon rainforest

Claudia Andujar (1931-present), born in Switzerland and naturalized Brazilian, is one of the most crucial defenders of Indigenous rights in South America. After fleeing Europe during WWII, she found her life's purpose in documenting and protecting the Yanomami people through groundbreaking photographic work since 1971.

Her multi-dimensional activism included:

• Creating revolutionary visual archives blending anthropology and art
• Co-founding the Pro-Yanomami Commission (CCPY) in 1978
• Lobbying for the demarcation of 9.6 million hectares of Yanomami land

Andujar's "Marcados" series – where she numbered Yanomami individuals like Holocaust victims – became a powerful symbol about colonial violence. Her work continues through the Hutukara Yanomami Association, preserving both ecological and cultural heritage.