Yanomamo is a musical production written by Peter Rose and Anne Conlon. It takes audiences into the lives of the Yanomamo, or forest people, who are a tribe that have lived in the Amazon basin for thousands of years. They rely heavily on the prosperity and health of the Amazon for their survival.

In the 1970s when the Brazilian president came across over-populated and under-developed areas of his country that were stricken by drought and poverty, he pledged action to revive his people and stop their suffering. Looking to the Amazon forest, the president supported a migration of families to a new area where they would be provided land and affordable housing. To ease this movement, a new Trans-Amazonian Highway was constructed. During these first two years of this movement, some 100, 000 people left for the Amazon in search of a better life.

Although hopeful, life in the jungle was not easy. Conflict ensued between the Yanomamo people and those from the city. Harvests were not as bountiful as the migrants expected. The agricultural methods used by the city people included burning and clearing large areas of forest. In addition, with the creation of the new Trans-Amazonian Highway, large trans-national companies contributed to the destruction of the jungle as they cleared mass areas for ranching and gold mining, ultimately, destroyed vast areas of the forest and the homes of the Yanomamo tribes.

Why Yanomamo?

The continuing destruction of the Amazon and Yanomamo homelands are still an issue today. The Amazon rainforest covers 5.5 million square kilometres and provides a significant proportion of oxygen for our planet. With continued ranching and gold mining, we are currently destroying one of the most vital areas for our survival.

The musical showcase YCIS Chongqing will present aims to educate audiences about the wonders of the rainforest and the essential animals, resources, medicine and more that not only the Yanomamo rely on, but all of us rely on. This performance is not only about showcasing the many talents of our staff and students, but also to educate and spread the message of the horrific consequences of deforestation.

YCIS Students from Year 1 all the way to Year 13 will have their talents and contributions displayed in some way. Staff and students have based their songs, narrations and set design off the original Yanomamo production, but have developed their own musical scores and skits to support the message of the show. We are excited to stage this production for the wider Chongqing community and look forward to your attendance and support at this wonderful event.