fPcN interCultural:

friends of Peoples close to Nature

For the last 15 years my family and I have been close to the Ayoreo in the Paraguayan Chaco. I wrote my thesis on their learning and knowledge-sharing practices, my brother is currently writing on their concept of territory and maps and my dad is working full time supporting the life projects of the Ayoreo Peoples as ethnical collectivity to be self-reliant in the context of modern society. More information here: www.iniciativa-amotocodie.org

A few small groups of Ayoreo are still living in voluntary isolation in the virgin forest. For the people we've worked with - taken out of the forest years ago and now living in poor settlements, their relatives in the forest not only carry the essence of their culture, but also their understanding and answers re their relationship to the world (including us and modernity). The isolated groups will eventually leave the forest, but for the different groups in the settlements the fact that there are these group still living as before gives them tremendous strength to rethink their lives and support the continuity of their culture in a modern context.

Now the reason for this message:
* biggest challenge ahead
* UMBU Ltd has bought 40,000 hectares of virgin forest in the heart of where the group in isolation lives
* they are about to chop down 24,000 hectares
* they were given all related permissions contradicting a prohibition to go near the group
* similar situations in the near past have caused bloody encounters between Ayoreo and white people
* UMBU's plan is a threat to the ecosystem and biodiversity of this virgin forest guarded by the presence of the isolated groups

If you wanted to support you can forward this link to people you know who work for indigenous and land rights, and send the letters attached to the Paraguayan Authorities who are dealing with this case.

Thanks!

Maria