Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Initiative

Book and Video Launch:
“Coming Together in a Land of Riches, Power and Life-Giving Forces”

Experiences and knowledge gained through conservation action in the Cordillera del Condor, Ecuador-Peru

Lima, April 7, 2009. – On April 10th in Lima, Peru, a book and video about the experiences, knowledge and lessons learned during the execution of the first phase of the project “Peace and Bi-national Conservation in the Cordillera del Condor, Ecuador-Peru” will be launched.

The book “Tarimiat Nunkanam Inkiunaiyu Tajimat Nunkenum Inkuniamu” – Coming Together in a Land of Riches, Power and Life-Giving Forces – presents the local actors’ visions in their own words as well as those of the project’s technical staff. The 127 authors represented in the book are community members, leaders and authorities of the Shaur, Awajun and Wampis communities, which are located in the Cordillera del Condor (Ecuador and Peru), as well as technical staff and representatives of governmental institutions. Each one expressed his or her vision, understanding and path for construction of the Pueblo Shuar Arutam in Ecuador and the Ichikat Muja-Cordillera del Condor National Park in Peru, processes that were supported by the “Peace and Bi-national Conservation in the Cordillera del Condor, Ecuador and Peru”.

The videos “TARIMAT- The Land of Our Ancestors (Shuar)” and “JINTA UJAIMU-Opening the Path (Awajun and Wampis),” present ways different people approach the subject of conservation.

This experience stemmed from our interest in improving our processes in conservation projects as technicians, institutions and indigenous peoples, considering different visions and interests. A significant number of testimonies and experiences were collected, reporting the differences, similarities, discords and consensuses that were reached during the implementation of the conservation project and the management of natural resources.The book and the videos are the result of a coordinated effort between the Organization of Development of the Border Communities of Cenepa (ODECOFROC), the Indigenous Development Organization of the Comaina High Communities (ODECOAC), the Federation of Indigenous Communities Huambisas of the Santiago River (FECOHRSA), the Governing Council of the Pueblo Shuar Arutam, the Nature Foundation (Fundación Natura), the Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Initiative at Conservation International and the Conservation International programs in Ecuador and Peru.During the month of April these products will be presented and distributed to the Awajún and Wampis community members in the Cenepa, Comaina and Santiago River basins in Peru; and to the representatives of the 46 groups of Shuar in the Governing Council of the Pueblo Shuar Arutam in Ecuador. Later a presentation will be given in the city of Quito.

More information can be found at
http://iniciativaindigenaperu.blogspot.com/