A Journey to Restoration: The Sacred Cave of Kamukuwaká

In 1961, the Xingu territory, inhabited by 15 Indigenous Peoples, in Mato Grosso, Brazil, was the first Indigenous territory protected in the country; however, the territory boundaries did not include the Sacred Cave of Kamukuwaká. The cave walls tell the origin stories of the people in the Xingu, their ancestor Kamukuwaká, and his battles with the jealous sun, Kamo.

In September 2018, Wauja people from the Xingu discovered that the ancient petroglyphs covering the ancient Cave of Kamukuwaká’s surface had been systematically destroyed, leaving the Wauja people without the fundamental piece of their cultural heritage. Through an incredible feat of skill, engineering and innovation, the world-class Factum Foundation in Madrid, Spain stepped in and meticulously produced a full-size replica of the cave in collaboration with the Wauja people and People’s Palace Projects.

During this process, the team was already considering how to transport the replica on its 5,000-mile journey home to Brazil from Madrid. That’s when Iron Mountain and our Crozier team got involved.

Sustainable, secure shipping

The People’s Palace Projects (PPP), an art and research center and a nonprofit organization with a mission to investigate the power of creativity and collaborate with marginalized communities, got in touch with Iron Mountain’s Living Legacy Initiative. With a clear focus on preserving and making cultural heritage information and artifacts accessible, the Living Legacy Initiative team was well-positioned to fund the planning, consultation with Indigenous partners, and the building of a 150 square meter cultural and monitoring center that houses the cave replica. 

With art logistics and solutions experts Crozier Fine Arts, an Iron Mountain business, the replica was packed, crated, and shipped using its sustainable sea-freight shipping service from Madrid to the Xingu Territory. According to the Gallery Climate Coalition, “transporting an artwork by air has, on average, sixty times more climate impact than moving it the same distance by sea.” By using Crozier’s sea freight shipping service, we continue to support our ongoing sustainability commitments and those of our partners.

Preserved forever more

In October 2024, the Wauja people welcomed the cave replica with a celebration in the Ulupuwene village in the Xingu Territory. It is now there that younger generations can learn about their culture, which was almost lost, and allow others to pay tribute to their ancestors. Watch the story of the cave’s journey.

The center was built according to sustainable architecture principles, using bio-construction techniques and local Indigenous labor. The building is equipped with solar panels, internet service, an office, and storage spaces that will enable the Wauja people to monitor the territory and the Batovi river using drones, cameras and GPS. The Cultural and Monitoring Center has already welcomed visitors from all over the world.

You can learn more about Crozier’s sustainable sea freight shipping here.