Amazonía Sur: Resistance and Ancestral Alternatives

Sarayaku, Ecuador – Joined Rising Voices in 2014

La-Resistencia1-800x450Sumak Allpa (Forest Alive) is a concept promoted by Kichwa peoples living in the community of Sarayaku in the Ecuadorian province of Pastaza. Sarayaku is a community that can only be reached by small plane or canoe; there are no highways leading in or out. However, thanks to a satellite connection, young indigenous people will use free software and community digital video to share their stories of resistance following Sumak Allpa in defense of their territories against the XI Oil Round, which seeks to provide concessions for oil extraction in large sections of ancestral territory belonging to seven indigenous nations located in the Southern Amazon in Ecuador.

The project, co-led by El Churo and the Sarayaku community is teaching local residents and from neighboring communities how to create participatory video telling the story of the importance of their natural surroundings and cultural traditions. Many of the videos are filmed in the Kichwa language.

The videos are scheduled to be screened in forums to be held in Quito and Sarayaku, with a social media campaign as part of the video distribution.

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