The Katukina (Noke Koi) people have their territory within the state of Acre in Brazil. Their first contact with Western society was in the late 19th century, when migrants traveled through the Amazon basin in search of rubber trees. Since then they have been in permanent contact, first helping the rubber tappers and bosses as guides, hunters and in the production of rubber. The recent success of neighbouring peoples in obtaining resources from NGO projects has awakened in the leaders the interest of doing something similar and thus promoting through “culture” the entry of resources in their land. This article will discuss the spontaneous collaboration between anthropologist and the Noke Koi to founding an association. From the ethnographic encounter we will be able to analyse the complexity of the relations between indigenous people and the surrounding society as well as what our interlocutors really seek when engaging in these emerging activities.