One of the largest tribes in Brazil live in the south of the eastern state of Bahia; the Pataxó. They are a tribe with more than 12,000 members and still live in reasonable harmony with their neighbors and the environment. The tribe inhabit a protected reserve that they received after a long struggle with the Brazilian government in 1999. It lies next to the sea and can only be reached with a boat or via a rough muddy road. Next to the reserve there is a beach- and riverside village called Caraiva were more and more tourists come to visit the pristine beaches and hangout next to the river. Some of the Pataxó work there in the wooden beachresorts or sell there handmadecrafts on the side of the river. But there true home is the forest and the village of Barra Velha 10 kilometers next to the Caraiva river. Tigé Pataxó is one of the tribal leaders and has established a cultural center on the edge of the reserve. In this way he hopes to be able to breathe new life into the culture and language of his tribe after decades of persecution. “There is now a school here and we are teaching our children in age-old customs, cooking techniques, crafts, the Pataxó language and rituals. We as indigenous people have the responsibility to maintain our way of life. The knowledge that we have about the forest and everything that lives there would otherwise be lost. We also receive guests from outside the reserve here and if they stay here for a while they often become more aware of the vulnerability and the need to preserve the forest. So hopefully visitors will regain some more respect for nature.