Marlon Brando, known for his support of Native American people, had just been paid an unprecedented $3.7 million for his 10-minute part in Superman, but agreed to appear for no salary in Raoni's opening sequence.

Brazilian media's sudden interest made Raoni the banner-bearer of the fight for the preservation of the Amazon rainforest, which had been jeopardized by illegal deforestation, the increasing cultivation of soya beans, and the use of hydroelectric dams for the generation of electricity.

On October 12, 1988, Sting participated with Raoni in a press conference prior to the São Paulo show of the "Human Rights Now!"

Twelve rainforest foundations were created to raise funds for the establishment of a huge national park in the Rio Xingu River region, in Para and Mato Grosso Brazilian states.

Raoni's dream was to unite the five demarcated indigenous territories (Baú, Kaiapó, Panará, Kapôt Jarina, Bàdjumkôre) with then undemarcated Mekragnotire lands.

Along with the adjoining Xingu National Park, the united indigenous lands would cover approximately 180,000 km2 (nearly one-third the area of France).

Since 1989, the Kayapo leader has traveled to many places in the world, including the northeastern parts of Quebec, Canada, to visit the Innu people in August 2001; and to Japan in May 2007.

Isolated from the rest of the world until the twentieth century, the indigenous peoples of the Xingu region have fought to orally preserve their traditions for countless generations.

[2] In a September 2021 interview with the magazine Paris Match, Raoni expressed interest in continuing his advocacy, even at his advanced age: "All those people, with the help of current government, have already planned to deforest it all.

"[3] In an interview on French TV channel TF1, during Raoni's 2010 European campaign to France, Belgium, Switzerland, Monaco and Luxembourg, he declared war on the Belo Monte Dam project, which jeopardized indigenous territories on the bank of the Xingú river in the state of Pará (Brazil).

"[4] During the tour, he visited France where he promoted his memoirs Raoni, mémoires d'un chef indien[5] He was welcomed by former French president Jacques Chirac, and endorsed Fondation Chirac, whose purpose was to preserve the cultures of indigenous people and the rainforest's biodiversity, including the creation of an institute in the middle of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest.

He recently received the support of famous people such as James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver, Arnold Schwarzenegger,[9] Vincent Cassel, Marion Cotillard, Edgar Morin, Jan Kounen, Nicolas Hulot, Danielle Mitterrand, Mino Cinelu and launched an international petition in 7 languages[10] against the proposed Belo Monte dam project on his official website.

However, the President Dilma Rousseff did not hear Chief Raoni appeal and made her decision with little apparent regard for dealing comprehensively with its anticipated severe economic, ecological and social impacts, and with minimal consultation of the indigenous populations.