ARIEL DUARTE ORTEGA Guarani-Mbya

Ariel Duarte Ortega, (Sandro) or Kuaraê Poty in the Guarani language, was born in 1985 in Missiones, Argentina, in Vera Guaçu community, which is Ariel's grand-father's name, Dionísio Duarte, in portuguese. Dionísio is a historical leader among the Mbya and is until today, at the age of 82, considered the general chief of the Mbya from Missiones.

Today, Ariel lives in Salto do Jacuí, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, where he recently assumed a position of bilingual teacher, with the objective of strengthening the Mbya culture among children and youth. Ariel works for the young Guarani to know the richness of their culture and feel proud about it. He constantly gives conferences about diverse aspects of Guarani culture and religion, in order to diminish White peoples' prejudices on his people. 

Thus discusses Guarani traditional subsistence forms and problems faced by the Guarani linked to the lack of land, forest and natural resources in general. His principal worry is that all of Guarani's wealth should not be lost because of the quick changes they are living. Ariel wants to use video mainly as a tool for this cultural recovering.