| Assisting the Indigenous Shuar People
| Preserving a rich
culture while conserving thousands of acres of tropical forests |
NCI is working with the
indigenous Shuar people to conserve thousands of acres of tropical
humid and cloud forests in their ancestral territories while at
the same time assisting in the preservation of their rich culture
and history. With our support, the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Environment
recently declared three Protected Forest and Vegetation Areas with
a total surface of 37,500 acres in the Yacuambi area of Zamora Chinchipe
province.
 The
Shuar, historically known as Yaguarzongos and Bracamoros, are the
only indigenous people in the region, and are now subject to strong
pressures of assimilation. They are characterized by strong cultural
traditions and a unique vision of the universe, manifested through
their language, food, myths, music and dance. Their ancestral land
rights are guaranteed by the Constitution of Ecuador, but validating
those rights and securing their legitimacy requires the support
and action of public and private institutions.
NCI is working with the Shuar centers of the Kiim,
Kurints and Washikiat to protect their areas known as Tiwi Nunka,
Tukupi Nunke and Michi Nunka. Working through a cooperative agreement,
NCI is helping to legalize their ancestral lands and establish and
obtain official recognition of these areas as community reserves.
NCI also works with these centers on productive projects and improving
access to healthcare, education and nutrition. Special emphasis
has been placed on initiatives focused on the protection and strengthening
of Shuar culture. We are currently exploring the socio-economic
conditions and the methods of production used by the indigenous
Shuar group in the Kiim community  to
develop potential alternatives that reduce social pressures on the
forest while simultaneously maintaining traditional resource management
methods.
Recently, with NCI’s support, the Council
for Development of the Nationalities and Peoples of Ecuador (Codenpe),
has officially recognized 9 additional Shuar indigenous communities
in the watershed of the Nangaritza River. This measure legally accredits
the existence of these communities and guarantees them a series
of rights, benefits, and protection on the part of the State. The
territories of these communities total nearly 40,000 acres for the
survival of the Shuar and ecosystems rich in biological diversity.
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