Renewed genocide in health and environmental degradation among the Tikmũ’ũn/Maxakali in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the age distribution and mortality rates of the Tikmũ’ũn/Maxakali people, comparing these data with those of neighboring municipalities, the state of Minas Gerais (MG), and Brazil as a whole. Method: This descriptive study used 2022 data to examine population distribution by sex and age group. Age-specific proportional mortality rates, differences in proportional mortality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, and infant mortality rates were calculated for the Tikmũ’ũn/Maxakali, non-Indigenous people in the same region, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in MG and Brazil. Results: Among the Tikmũ’ũn/Maxakali, 2.4% of the population is over 60 years. This age group accounts for 17.9% of the non-Indigenous population in neighboring municipalities, 17.8% in MG, and 15.9% in Brazil. The proportional mortality among Tikmũ’ũn/Maxakali was 25% in three age groups: infants under one year, individuals aged 20–49, and those over 50. For other groups, most deaths (>72.4%) occurred above age 50. The infant mortality rate among Tikmũ’ũn/Maxakali was 66.7 per 1,000 live births; for non-Indigenous populations in neighboring municipalities, it was 17.5 per 1,000, and for Indigenous populations in MG and Brazil, it was 26 and 26.7 per 1,000, respectively. Conclusion: The age distribution and mortality patterns among the Tikmũ’ũn/Maxakali are significantly less favorable compared to other Brazilian populations, potentially threatening their survival as a people. Immediate action by the Brazilian government is essential to assess and address the socioeconomic and health conditions driving this situation.