A collaboration with Selvagem

In Waters of the Nhe’ẽry, Guarani spiritual leader Carlos Papá and ecologist Fabio Scarano meet for a dialogue that moves across Indigenous knowledge, art and science.

The encounter seeks to dive more deeply into the knowledge of the Guarani people who live along the Atlantic coast of Brazil, within the Atlantic Forest – a dense and humid forest that, in many ways, shares similarities with the subtropical forests of Hong Kong. From this living landscape, the territory is understood through the relationships between water, plants and the cycles that sustain life.

The conversation begins with listening to nhe’ẽry, a Guarani word that can be understood as “where the spirits bathe”, a place where water, vegetation and human presence form a field of sensitive and spiritual relationships. Since last year, the Selvagem Association has been exploring the theme of water through the Águamãe cycle, investigating the ecological, cosmological and cultural dimensions that connect rivers, forests and territories. Water is the central living element in Selvagem’s studies. This talk is part of that broader journey, deepening the role of water as a guiding thread between different forms of knowledge.

Supported by the Selvagem notebooks and by the book released by Carlos Papá in June of this year, the dialogue expands through an encounter with the scientific perspective of Fabio Scarano. Drawing from his work as an ecologist, the conversation also touches on studies of photosynthesis and the invisible processes that connect plants, light, water and the atmosphere.

Within the broader theme “Awakening of Memory”, the conversation proposes to reflect on how the knowledge of the forest – and the voices of Selvagem – can inspire new ways of remembering and relating to the living world.

Speakers

Carlos Papá Mirim Poty

Carlos Papá Mirim Poty (São Paulo, 1970) belongs to the Guarani Mbya people. Papá has collaborated with Selvagem since 2019, and since 2022 he has been the coordinator of Arandu Porã, the Living Guarani School located in Rio Silveira Village, in São Paulo. He is a guardian of the sacred Guarani words.

 In recent years, Papá has been sharing with the world messages about the importance of valuing and respecting Nhe’ëry, the Atlantic Forest. He is recognised as the first Indigenous filmmaker of the Guarani Mbya people, having dedicated the last decades to strengthening and valuing Guarani Mbya culture through documentaries, fiction films and cultural and educational workshops for youth. He is also the founder of the Maracá Institute, which promotes the arts and cultures of Indigenous peoples of Brazil, and a member of the Aty Mirim Indigenous Council of the Museum of Indigenous Cultures of São Paulo. He acts as a spiritual leader in his community, with knowledge of healing plants and of the paths that guide our journey.

Fabio Rubio Scarano

Fabio Rubio Scarano graduated in Forest Engineering from the University of Brasília, Brazil, and obtained his PhD in Ecology from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. He has been a Full Professor of Ecology at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro since 1993, and since 2023 he has served as curator and holder of the UNESCO Chair in Literacy at the Museum of Tomorrow. He has been a member of the Linnean Society of London since 1995. His interests include themes such as biodiversity, climate change and futures studies, generally inspired by the Gaia Theory.

Date
20 August 2026 (Thursday)

Time
19:00-20:30 HKT (11:00 - 12:30 GMT)

Format
Zoom

Language
Portuguese (supports simultaneous interpretation in English)

Fee
Free (a donation to support our conservation work is appreciated) 

Donations help cover essential expenses such as speakers’ fees, translation services and other resources. Additional donations support KFBG‘s ecological conservation and holistic education work. Please donate within your means, or still join us even if you are unable to contribute. Together, we can foster a transformative shift towards an ecological perspective.

Application
Please click HERE  for online registration by 19:00 HKT, 20 August 2026

Note
● You will receive an auto-reply confirmation email upon registration with the Zoom link attached.
● In case of cancellation, you will be notified in advance.

Enquiry
Email Ms Jamie Ngai at jamie.ngai@kfbg.org

Kadoorie Earth Programme (KEP) is co-created by KFBG and its network of collaborators and volunteers. By integrating the various strands of KFBG’s nature conservation, sustainable living and holistic education programmes, it provides life-transforming learning experiences that reconnect people with themselves, each other and the rest of nature and enable them to cultivate resilience in the face of climate crisis, economic uncertainty and other related challenges.

Kadoorie Earth Programme Main Page
KEP Talk Series Webpage:  2022  |  2023  |  2024  |  2025 |  2026