Human-plant Relations and Social Activism in the Heart of the Jungle
In the heart of the Andes, the earth is revered as Pachamama, the Quechuan name for Mother Earth. This veneration for nature extends beyond mere personification. It breathes life into the scenery, transforming it into an animate entity. Peru unveils two contrasting yet equally captivating landscapes: the Amazon rainforest, a verdant expanse that spans over half the country, and the Andes Mountains, towering giants that pierce the heavens, inspiring awe and contemplation on our infinitesimal place amidst nature’s grandeur.
My guide Mila is a missionary and social activist who has spent 12 years living in the bowels of the Peruvian Amazon. She is taking me to Puerto Maldonado, the gateway to Madre de Dios — Peru’s biological wonderland. Placed in the heartland of the Amazon rainforest, the region’s rich natural resources have long been coveted by external interests, leading to a relentless assault on the environment and the communities that call the rainforest their home. A vibrant fusion of cultures, where the echoes of ancient wisdom intertwine with the modern rhythms of life, Puerto Maldonado stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of the Amazon, a place where the boundaries between man and nature blur. This lush expanse, bordering Brazil and Bolivia, has earned the moniker “biodiversity capital” for its astonishing diversity of life forms – flora, fauna, and the vibrant amalgams of ancient cultures but also the vibrant colours of more recent arrivals. Migrants from the Costa, the Pacific coast, the Sierra, the mountainous zone of the Andes, and the Selva, the Amazon jungle, have added their unique voices to the symphony of life in Madre de Dios.
“The Amazon is a land of stark contrasts. Some see it as a hellhole, shrouded in darkness and crawling with dangers. Others as a paradise teeming with life and vibrant beauty. For some, it is a treasure chest filled with gold, rubber, mahogany, minerals, gas, and endless resources waiting to be plundered. But for the indigenous people, it is simply home. A land where they have lived in harmony for generations, respecting its every breath as their own. It is where they find sustenance and medicine, the rainforest is their school.” – Mila
Socio-environmetal Injustices
Amidst this verdant paradise, a history of exploitation and displacement casts a shadow over the region’s past. In the early 20th century, the insatiable demand for rubber transformed Madre de Dios into a battleground of resource extraction. Ravaging the rainforest, decimating indigenous communities, and disrupting the delicate balance of the ecosystem. The rubber boom intensified the area’s dependence on new political and commercial ties at both the national and international levels. Missionaries descended upon the region, seeking to spread their faith. Their efforts often disrupted the traditional ways of life, challenging the cultural identity of the indigenous people. The Madre de Dios region became perceived as a land of promise, offering abundant opportunities for employment and social well-being. Those who settled here primarily engaged in the extraction of natural resources – gold, oil, timber, and Brazil nuts – while others found opportunities in construction, agriculture, tourism, and trade.
Mila tells me that Peru’s historical blindness to the Amazon’s indigenous inhabitants and their ecological wisdom dates back to President Ramon Castilla. Colonization’s brutal legacy — cultural erasure, land misuse, and relentless destruction — continues unabatedly. Indigenous ways of life were marginalized and disregarded, leading to massacres and enslavement. Forced assimilation was rapid, accompanied by the erosion of their cultural identity. This ongoing tragedy ignores the millennia-old presence of vibrant Amazonian communities, stewards of the forest who lived in harmony with its lifeblood.
“Lima orchestrates the Amazon’s demise. Cuacheros (men who extract the rubber from the ancient trees), missionaries, Andean migrants, and unprincipled traders flood the region. Logging machines devour virgin forests, while oil barons shatter the jungle’s tranquility. Mercury pollutes the once-pristine rivers, while gold prospectors turn them into cesspools. Tourists seek not the majesty of wetlands but the peasantry’s degenerate thirst for luxury, leaving Amazonia scarred and barren from the air.”
In 2010, a major infrastructure project was completed in Latin America, linking the Atlantic and Pacific coasts — the Interoceanic South Corridor. It runs through the Madre de Dios region, a biodiversity hotspot and home to indigenous communities. The project has led to a range of socio-ecological challenges. These include deforestation, water and soil pollution, increased migration to urban areas, deterioration of public services, the emergence of slums, human trafficking, and slavery, the rise of sex work, the destruction of protected areas, illegal land acquisition, facilitation of drug trafficking, and further encroachment into indigenous territories, putting the very existence of these vulnerable groups at stake.
Illegal logging and the exploitation of minors have become rampant, further decimating the rainforest’s precious biodiversity. The expansion of oil and gas concessions has cut across more than 70% of Peru’s Amazon region. One of the most pressing concerns is the expansion of Camisea, Peru’s largest gas field, with its concessions encompassing areas inhabited by uncontacted tribes, such as the Nanti and Machiguenga. Deforestation, driven by palm oil plantations, mono-crop agriculture, and illegal mahogany logging, has ravaged the region’s lush forests. According to the World Wildlife Fund, gold mining operations have deforested over 85,750 hectares, contributing to the loss of 2 million hectares of primary forests in Peru since 2000. The drug trade has also exacerbated the region’s woes, further fueling deforestation and violence. The illegal trade of mahogany, known as “red gold,” has further impoverished communities and eroded traditional livelihoods.
Peru ranks second-to-last in education and literacy in South America, after Haiti. This stark reality compelled Mila to establish educational initiatives in Puerto Maldonado, the capital of the Madre de Dios region — a bustling city nestled in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Lack of education among indigenous communities has hindered their ability to advocate for their rights and protect their ancestral lands. The region’s youth, most of whom lack access to quality education, are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation and drawn into illegal activities.
“Poverty in Peru is staggering, placing it among the world’s most impoverished nations. Shockingly, 56% of children suffer from both anemia and malnutrition. Access to healthcare and essential services is severely lacking, exacerbating educational challenges. The population’s survival hinges on their role in the food chain, yet they endure exploitation by a civilization that exploits natural resources,
devastates their territories, and labels them as “uncivilized” victims fighting for survival. Disturbingly, incidents of rape occur every two minutes, and infant mortality remains a significant concern.”
She noticed that local schools focused primarily on European history, dedicating little attention to the unique cultural traditions of the Amazon’s indigenous peoples. With a mission to preserve and promote indigenous culture, Mila decided to organize courses on Amazonian culture in the Las Lomas neighborhood of Puerto Maldonado. Through her dedicated teaching, Mila has inspired over 70 of the poorest Peruvian children to explore the rich folklore and mythology of their ancestors. She encouraged them to express their cultural identity through art, empowering them to become ambassadors of their heritage and stewards of the Amazon’s delicate ecosystems. Mila’s efforts are a testament to the power of education to bridge cultural divides and foster understanding. By empowering young Peruvians to connect with their ancestral roots, she is safeguarding the Amazon’s cultural diversity and promoting a harmonious relationship between humanity and nature. Mila fosters a vibrant creative environment where children are encouraged to express their cultural heritage through storytelling, drawing, and theatrical performances. The children are descendants of the Incas and the Amazonian tribes and possess a deep connection to the rainforest that has been passed down through generations. They have intimately observed the forest’s intricate ecosystems, deciphering its secrets and navigating its wonders. From the meandering rivers to the symphony of raindrops, they have absorbed the forest’s rhythm and melody, becoming guardians of its precious ecosystems. The children’s fluency in Quechua, the language of their Inca ancestors, allows them to delve into the deeper layers of their cultural heritage. Under Mila’s guidance, their imaginations have been ignited, and they have embarked on a mission to share the Amazon’s hidden wonders with children around the world. Their artwork serves as a poignant reminder of the rainforest’s irreplaceable beauty and the urgent need to protect it. Through their artistic expression, these young guardians of the Amazon are sending a powerful message to the world: preserve the delicate balance of nature and cherish its vibrant, living spirit.
Mila's Activism
Mila and her friend Alejandro founded a social assistance association that provided support to underprivileged families in Puerto Maldonado. Their focus is on assisting children, but always emphasizing the importance of parental involvement and self-sufficiency. Enabling parents to help themselves is more effective and sustainable. In her words, they served as tools to empower these families, nothing more. In their first year, they operate in a remote community called Sabaluyo, a 6-hour journey by river from Puerto Maldonado. This isolated area, nestled deep within the Amazon rainforest, is home to approximately 200 inhabitants, scattered across the dense wilderness.
However, the introduction of globalization brings about significant and unsettling changes. An American oil company arrives in Sabaluyo, establishing a presence that disrupts the community’s tranquil existence. Access to the village had previously been limited to a river route, requiring a journey of 6 to 8 hours, or an arduous trek through the forest, 8 kilometers from the road leading to Brazil, 40 kilometers from Puerto. Within a short period, the road connecting to Sabaluyo is transformed into a wide, paved thoroughfare suitable for tractors and trucks. This infrastructure upgrade raises concerns about the potential for oil extraction and the construction of a highway to Sabaluyo. In response to these developments, five or six families from Sabaluyo relocated to Puerto Maldonado. This results in approximately twenty children joining the organization’s educational program. Mila and Alejandro make the difficult decision to relocate their operations to Puerto as well, in collaboration with the community and its residents. The city of Puerto Maldonado is experiencing rapid growth, with an influx of approximately 100 new inhabitants daily. These individuals hail from various regions, including the Andes, Amazonian communities, and Lake Titicaca, seeking employment opportunities.
“We moved to a remote community located behind the airport, which is considered to be the most forgotten neighborhood of Puerto. Despite this, it is also the neighborhood that most actively fights for human rights. The residents have been struggling for six years to obtain electricity and water from the government, but as soon as our organization arrived, the authorities seemed to take notice. They immediately began installing electricity poles, even before the case was fully resolved.”
The organization provides support to 23 mothers and 70 children in this community. Every day, they offer a feeding program for the children and organize various activities to help them develop their skills and talents. Ten university students from the area are employed to assist the children with their schoolwork. Their parents are not able to read or do math, so this support is invaluable.
“In addition to these programs, we also offered capoeira — a Brazilian martial art that promotes self-discipline, self-confidence, and physical fitness. Capoeira can help children overcome challenges and avoid getting involved with drugs. The prevalence of cocaine in this area is alarming, and the risk of addiction is particularly high in slums. Thousands of people have died from cocaine and the basic paste that is used to process it.”
They have also built a dining hall, a training area, and a pizzeria for the children. These facilities will allow them to support themselves in the future. The pizzeria is a particularly innovative project, as it teaches the children craftsmanship and culinary skills. This approach is more sustainable than simply giving money to the community. When other NGOs leave, everything collapses, and people are left without a plan. This is because they have become accustomed to receiving handouts and have not learned to become self-sufficient.
Mila shares that working in the depths of the Amazon rainforest presents its own unique set of challenges. The oppressive humidity, sweltering heat, and hordes of mosquitoes create a harsh environment that demands resilience and adaptability. Yet, these challenges pale in comparison to the profound importance of our work: empowering individuals and communities to break free from the shackles of poverty and marginalization.
In this remote community, they operate with a unique approach that prioritizes community empowerment and grassroots solutions. Unlike traditional NGOs that rely on government grants and donor funding, their organization derives its financial support entirely from the generosity of friends and supporters. This decentralized funding model liberates them from the constraints of traditional funding structures, which often come with bureaucratic burdens and rigid project guidelines. They have absolute autonomy to design and implement their programs in close collaboration with the community members themselves. This collaborative approach ensures that their interventions are tailored to the specific needs and aspirations of the community, fostering a sense of ownership and sustainability.
Mila’s print-ready manuscript, “A Letter to You from the Amazon” is a collection of 26 original children’s stories, 13 myths, and legends of the indigenous tribes that call the Madre de Dios region their home, and captivating illustrations by the children themselves. Told from the perspective of these young rainforest dwellers, the book delves into the life, plants, animals, secrets, and philosophy of the Amazon, offering a unique and intimate glimpse into this vibrant ecosystem.
“The children were my teachers. From the moment we met, they were fascinated by my strange Western ‘civilized’ objects—my earrings, trinkets, camera, and other belongings. They were eager to share their knowledge and teach me about their world. I am eternally grateful for their wisdom and love.”
Master Plants
“La ayahuasca es una planta maestra porque nos enseña. Es una medicina, también, porque nos ayuda a sanar las heridas del corazón y ayuda a acomodar los pensamientos.”
Peru boasts a palette of ancient medical traditions, one of the greatest treasures of the Inca times. Each region – Costa, Sierra, and Selva harbors a living legacy of healing knowledge passed down through millennia. In the ancient rainforests, lies a path to profound self-discovery and healing. For those who dare tread it, ayahuasca, or the “mother plant” unveils hidden truths and whispers pathways to wholeness. For shamans and indigenous people, this is medicine, therapy, healing, and purification from the unknown forces that often define our lives.
In the Quechua languages, aya means “spirit, soul” or “corpse”, and waska means “rope” or “liana”. Ayahuasca means “liana of the soul” but also “rope of the dead”. Revered as a sacred tool in UNESCO-recognized shaman ceremonies, its ritual use weaves a thread of cultural continuity, linking therapeutic properties to ancestral wisdom. This recognition by UNESCO signifies a landmark for Peru, embracing cultural diversity and the unique healthcare needs of its diverse ethnic communities. Traditional medicine finds its rightful place within state-run healthcare, no longer relegated to the shadows. This shift in national policy marks a meaningful step forward, acknowledging the invaluable contribution of these ancient practices to the well-being and identity of Peru’s vibrant tapestry of cultures.
In the Madre de Dios region, both in the past and today, the basis of traditional Amazonian medicine is the shamanic ceremony and the drinking of ayahuasca. To prepare the portion, the ayahuasqueros in Puerto Maldonado use two plants in the potion: liana Banisteriopsis caapi and the chacruna (“the plant that gives visions”). In the cosmovision of its devotees, ayahuasca is the vine that unfurls a portal to the ethereal realm and allows the soul, unburdened by earthly constraints, to enter the spiritual world, otherwise forbidden to the alive.
It is considered self-therapy, Mila continues, because by seeing one can diagnose oneself and see into the essence of the problem. In this way, people discover a way to overcome it. The shaman is the one who in the moment of trance protects you from bad forces and gives guidance in a non-verbal way on where to go. In Amazonia, the shaman is a central figure whose concern is life and death, the prevention and development of disease. Due to his power and ability to manage disease in a supra-natural way, he is commonly recognized by society as a person of higher status. The healer enters an extraordinary state of consciousness through the use of ayahuasca and is supported by his spirit helpers. In this way, he can identify the cause of the illness and correct the imbalance immediately after the ritual showing the patient the causative agent. The shaman is the guardian of the spirit and the one who succeeds in driving out the bad spirits. The song of the shaman brings positive thoughts and meditation, which one should go deep into and get to know their powers. A large part of a shamanic ritual involves a play-theatre in which one becomes both spectator and participant. This is the only way people can deconstruct all the unnecessarily accumulated emotions and assemble a new vision where they can actively participate in their lives. The knowledge of the shaman is in the spiritual world unknown to us, the effects of which affect our daily lives and our lives without us being aware of why and how.
Time has woven threads of other cultures into this ritual blending rituals with whispers of foreign traditions. Yet, the core remains firmly rooted in the soil of Peru, a belief in the interconnectedness of nature, spirit, and self. For centuries, ayahuasca has served as a cornerstone of Indigenous identity and its ceremonies, music, dances, and profound wisdom passed down through generations. This shamanism remains alive to this day but mixed with symbols and rituals that were not its own in the past. According to the indigenous worldview, health is a product of the harmonious relationship that exists between nature, humans, and the spirit world. If even one of these three parts is disturbed, the body becomes ill and this affects both the individual and the whole family. According to the etiological categories of Amazonia, there are two main causes of illness – the presence of a foreign body in the body and the loss of the soul. The cure consists in finding the foreign object and removing it in the first case, cutting out the lost soul, and reintroducing it into the body in the second. It is believed that most illnesses are caused by an act of witchcraft, a spell is done on the patient.
The first to describe and observe traditional forms of healing in Madre de Dios were the missionaries. They considered shamanism to be a satanic practice and gave a Vedic meaning to shamans, calling them brujos in Spanish. Thus, the words “curandero” and “brujo” were used from the beginning without distinguishing between the two terms. The shaman (or curandero) is the guarantor of social order and the health of individuals and the collective, while the brujo – the evil sorcerer – is a being whose magical powers serve only to harm or negatively affect people or other groups of beings. According to Glenn Shepard, who studies shamans and the good/evil dichotomy in the mythology of the Machigenga ethnic group of Madre de Dios, they imagine the universe as inhabited by many other beings and social groups. Animals, stars, and other celestial phenomena, diseases, and natural forces have souls and spirits that one can see in particular states of consciousness, for example in dreams or during the shamanic trance. Evil beings appear in the form of dangerous animals, diseases, or demons and are hunters who see humans as a game to feed themselves and their families. Machigenga shamans use the transformative powers of the psychoactive plants tobacco and ayahuasca to pass from the mundane to the supernatural world. They describe these states, which Western science calls “extraordinary states of consciousness,” as “really seeing or knowing. This concept is the complete opposite of the Western term hallucination, meaning “false perceptions.”
During the ceremonies, Mila shares, from farmers seeking agricultural guidance to intellectuals yearning for hidden truths, many find solace in the embrace of ayahuasca. Through its lens, they confront personal demons, mend fractured relationships, and rediscover the path to inner peace. In this verdant cradle of ancient knowledge, ayahuasca continues to offer a potent blend of self-diagnosis, emotional therapy, and a profound connection to the spirit world, weaving a timeless legacy that transcends generations and cultures.
“They all feel the common need to resort to the rational through ayahuasca and the mystical-magical practices of the shaman and his knowledge, touching another dimension and gaining wealth, health, knowledge, and power through this re-experience.”
Comunidades Nativas
In the past, forest dwellers led nomadic lives, exploring, and claiming new territories. Today, many have settled in designated areas following negotiations with authorities. While some embrace modern lifestyles with phones and packaged goods, others opt for isolation, avoiding contact with the globalized world. A small percentage of the population belongs to the “comunidades nativas” (native communities). Little is known about these nomads’ habits, language, and origins, but they fall under Peruvian jurisdiction. Descendants of diverse ethnic groups, they are commonly referred to as Mashco-Piro. Living in the untouched southern Amazon, naked and raw, hunters and nomads, they move in a small triangle of still virgin forest mass, far from enemies, threats, and disease. Madre de Dios is also home to individuals and groups, categorized by the government as “non-contact” populations. These lifestyles range from living in complete isolation from neighboring communities to having minimal interactions with settled groups. This isolation places these communities in a vulnerable position in terms of immunity, cultural norms, and territorial control.
Anthropologists, scholars, and missionaries eagerly vie to be the first to engage with these elusive individuals in the Amazon. Machiguenga, Shipibo, Ese’Eja, Kichwa Runa, Amahuaca, Harakmbut, Yaminawá, Mascho Piro – each tribe bears the unique imprint of its heritage, its language, values, and knowledge passed down through generations, whispered in the rustling leaves and echoed in the call of the birds. Within this verdant embrace, a community known as Sabalu-yo holds the remnants of a once-thriving indigenous tribe, the Iniapari. Just four individuals, their stories veiled in mystery, their traditions preserved in the echoes of their ancestors’ footsteps.
Tour companies capitalize on the allure of encountering these individuals. The only successful contacts so far have been made by Madereros, armed with automatic weapons, advancing into the untouched Amazon for precious timber. Their encounter in 2001 resulted in a small war, leading to the deaths of fifteen Mashco-Piro, marking a tragic clash between the traditional bow and modern gun.
Traversing Peru’s diverse terrain, one discovers a treasure trove of folklore and fables. This land awakens a sense of awe and reverence for the intelligence that permeates all forms of life, which the Western world is especially used to label as non-sentient. The lives of the Amazon Indigenous communities are inextricably linked to the diverse botanical varieties, species, and landscapes that provide sustenance, medicine, and spiritual guidance. The socio-environmental injustices in Madre de Dios are a stark reminder of the destructive consequences of unchecked exploitation and the plight of communities marginalized by the pursuit of profit. We must understand that some of them are uncontacted for a good reason. They do not have immunity to Western diseases and have suffered horrific violence and diseases brought by outsiders in the past. Protecting the region’s fragile ecosystems and ensuring the well-being of its indigenous inhabitants requires a holistic approach that prioritizes the education and well-being of indigenous tribes – the Stewarts of the Selva.
Organisations
Young Indigenous students in Madre de Dios (OJEIMAP)
Federación Nativa del Río Madre de Dios y Afluentes (FENAMAD)
Comité de Gestión de la Reserva Nacional Tambopata (CDG)
Survival International
References
Gender and the formalization of native communities in the Peruvian Amazon
Indigenous women in the Peruvian Amazon are leading the fight for rights
IOM Peru, Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations sign cooperation agreement
PIDDA: inclusive protection of environmental defenders
Arias Gallegos, W., Gallegos, M. and Caycho-Rodríguez, T. (2021). Carlos Alberto Seguín Escobedo (1907-1995): A Peruvian as President of the Interamerican Society of Psychology. Revista Interamericana de Psicología/Interamerican Journal of Psychology, 55(3), 1681. doi: 10.30849/ripijp.v55i3.1681.
A.Q. Testa, A. Clistenes, A. de Souza, A.R.G.B. Proença & G.H. Shepard Jr. et al. (2019). Crisis in the Amazon. The New York Review of Books, Nov. 7.
L. Daly & G.H. Shepard Jr. (2019). Magic Darts and Messenger Molecules: Towards a Phytoethnography of Indigenous Amazonia. Anthropology Today, 35(2), 13-17.
R. Pace & G.H. Shepard Jr. (2018). “Kiabieti Metuktire and Terence Turner: A Legacy of Kayapó Filmmaking.”
In: R. Pace (Ed.), From Filmmaker Warriors to Flash Drive Shamans: Indigenous Media Production and Engagement in Latin America. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 212-236.
Illustrations: Donika Koeva