• Waxamani's works are exhibited at museums in Brazil and worldwide
• He paints on canvas by hand, using no machinery whatsoever
• His paintings convey the significance of millennia-old Mehinako graphics

Waxamani Mehinako comes from Aldeia Kaupüna in Xingu, Mato Grosso. Through his work he immortalises Mehinako tribal graphics on canvas, anchoring their cultural legacy. As a representative of Mehinako and Aweti, he honours traditional graphic elements in his contemporary work, transcending mere aesthetics and communicating the symbolism of his ancestry. Waxamani's canvases become a vessel for a crucial mission—to preserve and support the diverse richness of native Brazilian culture. Waxamani's artistic process unfolds over days, revealing a commitment to authenticity. He makes black ink from charcoal and jenipapo, a traditional substance used by ancient peoples across the Amazon for body painting. The jenipapo juice, derived from the fruit, undergoes a meticulous process of mixing with water and boiling until it turns black. The red ink used in his paintings comes from urucum seeds. Through his work, Waxamani safeguards, shares, and revitalises a cultural narrative, promoting a deeper understanding of the past among local people and beyond.