She passed away on March 19th, 2020. The wake continued until the sun came up. A group of people, including the elderly, spent the night watching over the body of a person. She passed away at 87 years old. The Indigenous leader, whose life story is linked with the struggle for the rights and recognition of the Borari people, was beloved in her village.
The death of Dona Lusia created fear and trepidation. A statement from the Par State Department of Public Health gave rise to a sense of distrust among family members who had been in close touch with her. They weren't sure if her death was caused by the new coronaviruses or not.
The first Indigenous person to die of the disease in Brazil was not from a village recognized by the National Indian Foundation.
As a result of her death, the birth took place in a state of uncertainty. Alter do Cho is one of the most picturesque places in the Amazon region because of its beautiful lakes and beaches. A land route connecting the village with the city of Santarém was opened in the mid-1970s. Tourism took over since then.
The Borari people take advantage of the dry season to move around during the summer months. They would visit family in nearby communities or travel to the lowlands to plant crops. It was during one of these trips in 1933 that Dona Lusia was born, as her mother was going to visit relatives in the Amazon.
Neca Borari, one of Dona Lusia's seven daughters, said her mother didn't know how to swim despite being a child of the water. Neca is a chief in Alter do Cho. She likes to look to Dona Lusia for inspiration.
She praises her mother for giving her strength to be an Indigenous person. "Just be careful, because lots of leaders end up getting killed, and I don't want to see your body turn up somewhere," she was told. Always going with strength.
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