Born and raised in the Brazilian Amazon in Rondônia, and belonging to the Kamurape and Guarani Mbya ethnicities, Zaya Guarani descends on her maternal grandmother’s side from a lineage of strong women, shamans, and spiritual guides. Continuing her ancient tradition of political and spiritual engagement, Zaya has chosen to dedicate her platform as an internationally renowned role model to the ongoing global fight for indigenous rights and climate justice.
At the age of 16, Zaya left Rondônia and went to Rio de Janeiro where she won a scholarship to finish high school, and shortly after, she was discovered by Dayana Molina, a prominent Brazilian designer who defends indigenous rights, with whom she founded the first Indigenous Creative Collective dedicated to indigenous representation in the world of fashion in Brazil and Latin America.
An activist and speaker for indigenous inclusion and representation, Zaya achieved worldwide fame as the first indigenous model born and raised in the Amazon rainforest. Awarded at the Latin American Fashion Awards as fashion influencer of the year 2023, Zaya is dedicated to working on for brands and institutions that understand and support her political and climate activism, both inside and outside the fashion industry.
Zaya has contributed her voice and knowledge to fashion houses from within as well, consulting and speaking for both LVMH and Louis Vuitton in Paris.
Zaya made her debut as an actress in a Hollywood production, starring in the film ‘Postcard from Earth’, by Darren Aronofsky, showing at Sphere in Las Vegas. Zaya is set to star alongside Ethan Hawke in the Amazon jungle thriller ‘The Last of the Tribe’, a film set in Brazil’s Amazon. Written by Mark Bailey (“Downfall,” “The Volcano”), and produced by Brazil’s Academy Award-nominated Fernando Meirelles (“City of God”) and Academy Award-winning producer Ed Saxon (“Silence of the Lambs,” “Adaptation”).
Zaya joins a star cast in the latest campaign for Moncler, ‘An Invitation To Dream’, a project curated by Jefferson Hack, filmed and photographed by Jack Davison. She graces the cover of the June/July 2024 issue of Vogue Brazil, photographed by Mar + Vin, and was featured in the March 2024 issue of British Vogue, photographed by Rafael Pavarotti.
Currently living in New York City, Zaya is represented worldwide by talent agency CAA and works as a model, actress, activist, and speaker.
