<
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240503-the-indigenous-women-fighting-mining-in-ecuadors-amazon>
'
The Yuturi Warmi, an Ecuadorian patrol group, has vowed to protect their
community's land in the Amazon Rainforest from the pollution of extractive
industries – and their efforts appear to be working.
It is the break of dawn in the Serena community, in the middle of the
Ecuadorian Amazon. Along the Jatunyacu River, which later joins the Amazon
River in the Napo Province, Elsa Cerda, a 43-year-old indigenous Kichwa woman,
brews guayusa leaves – a native plant from the rainforest – in a pot.
It marks the start of the Guayusa Upina, a ritual performed by Amazonian
indigenous peoples before beginning their daily activities. This tradition is
more than a routine; it's a spiritual connection to their ancestral roots.
As the first rays of light begin to filter through the tree canopy, a diverse
assembly of 35 women, ranging from 23 to 85 years old, arrives one by one at
the ceremony. The eldest among them, Corina Andy, who is fondly called
"abuela", "the grandmother", leads them in a collective cleansing ritual using
medicinal plants.
Meanwhile, the younger women chant and dance to traditional songs in their
native language, Kichwa Napo.
"Strength, strength!" Cerda shouts, and as the echo lingers, the women respond
with "guard, guard!".'
Via
Reasons to be Cheerful:
<
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/what-were-reading-rainforest-patrol-crowdsourced-housing/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
