‘Muipuri pacoa, ketimaha romiiri’: The women in the Tukano Oriental Shamanism
Overview
A group of Tukano Oriental Indigenous women in the Colombian Amazon undertook a research initiative implementing a biocultural monitoring methodology for the strengthening of the traditional management of their territory. The initial results revealed that, as the elders had anticipated, crops nurtured by the elders and, notably, by the wise women are the most diverse. However, the joint and autonomous reflection on the results brought to light a concern: the imminent risk of losing the knowledge associated with species of flora and minerals for ritual dyes and fabrics, despite these still being present in crops and the forest. Hence, they proposed actions aimed at the cultural protection and intergenerational transmission of traditional knowledge and ritual practices, for which they are responsible. Noticeably, they brought their leading and fundamental role within their traditional knowledge system to the forefront. Their efforts invite us to continue re-evaluating mainstream conservation and biological monitoring concepts and be cautious with climate change programmes that could threaten Amazonian agri-food systems. We present this research as a photo essay to highlight the uniqueness of these Indigenous peoples, the beauty of their traditions, and the determination of their women.
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/13552074.2025.2461909ISBN
1364-9221How to cite this resource
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