Promoting the Sustainable Management of Chambira in Native Communities
Art Medium: Mural-painting
Partner: Amazon Ecology
Location: Brillo Nuevo, Ampiyacu, Peru
Artist: Darwin Torres
This initiative focused on economic empowerment, climate change, forest conservation, and alternatives to violence in the native communities of the Ampiyacu basin, in the Peruvian Amazon. It addressed the challenges related to the unsustainable harvest of chambira, a key resource for crafting, and the social problems exacerbated during the COVID pandemic, particularly the rise in chambira theft within the community.
The initial community discussion identified several problems, including alcoholism, chambira theft, climate change, and globalization. The community then proposed solutions including limiting alcohol sales, addressing theft through peaceful resolutions and sanctions if necessary, promoting cultural appreciation among young people, taking measures to adapt to climate change, and improved communication around chambira harvesting. Through a final community mural painted on the school building, the artisans shared their vision for a better future with their children and other community members.
"In the activities we talked about the problems that we have in the community, we shared what we thought - and that was good because we all feel the same about the forest, it is our home and livelihood. But what I liked the most was the mural at the school. I had never done anything like this before and seeing everyone working together, painting together, was something special. I think now, when children see that mural, they will better understand what we do and why the forest is so important."
-Javan Nepire Lopez, Participant, 46 yrs
