Peruvian Women Lead Efforts to Preserve Rainforest Ancestral Knowledge

In the Peruvian Amazon, a group of Indigenous women are working to preserve their ancestral knowledge and protect the rainforest. Margarita Cumbia Sawao, an elder of the Awajún community, has been instrumental in this effort. She moved to the Nuwas Forest 40 years ago with her family, who were invited by the community chief to settle there.

The women of the Awajún community have taken on a leadership role in preserving their people's traditional knowledge and way of life. They grow native plants with medicinal properties, including vanilla orchids, which are used to treat flu and skin infections. The women also welcome tourists, sharing their customs and traditions with visitors from around the world.

The Awajún believe that the tsaik tree, known as the 'tree of life', has the power to wash away negative energy. They perform a traditional dance to honor the spirits of the forest and invite visitors to participate. The community's leaders, including Margarita, are working to secure legal title to the land and protect it from extractive farming practices and illegal settlement.