Indigenous women help nature thrive
Indigenous women play integral collective and community roles as carers of natural resources and keepers of traditional knowledge.
This year on the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples — celebrated on 09 August — the globe is recognizing the crucial role of Indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge. Hear from some of the Indigenous subprojects working on the Inclusive Conservation Initiative to learn more about how Indigenous women are championing traditional knowledge in their communities for the preservation of Indigenous knowledge, the advancement of Indigenous systems, and for the benefit of the planet:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Alliance Nationale d’Appui et de Promotion des Aires et Territoires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire en RD Congo (ANAPAC)
”Indigenous Bambuti Babuluko women from the traditional territory of Kisimbosa in North Kivu province in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have committed to amplifying their voices to revitalize their cultures and traditional knowledge related to biodiversity conservation. They value traditional food and medicinal plants and are resilient to health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. They played a crucial role during the difficult period of this health crisis by using forest products to relieve the symptoms of COVID-19. The Inclusive Conservation Initiative will develop a gender inclusion plan for each ICI sub-project. This will include strengthening and supporting Indigenous women’s sustainable use practices of biodiversity components. This will improve livelihoods while supporting and valuing traditional women’s practices — and strengthen their participation in decision-making bodies related to governance and natural resource management.”
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This #IndigenousDay, we celebrate the role played by #IndigenousWomen in the preservation and transmission of #TraditionalKnowledge. ANAPAC shares how #ICI_GEF will strengthen and support the practices of the Bambuti Babuluko women from the DRC🇨🇩: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
Thanks to their #TraditionalKnowledge, the Indigenous Bambuti Babuluko women from the traditional territory of Kisimbosa in the DRC🇨🇩 have played a crucial role during the #COVID19 health crisis by using forest products to relieve the viral symptoms.
More: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
#IndigenousDay
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Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT)
“Many Indigenous groups in Tanzania have a strong spiritual attachment to their environment. Take Maasai pastoralist women, for example. Specific trees, often found around mountains, water sources, and rocky areas, are considered holy and should therefore be preserved. Traditionally women worship around these trees and use them for sacred events as symbols of holiness and spirituality. The sense of connection to these trees is so great that the belief is that people who do not take good care of them could be cursed. Men also take a role in educating youth on the importance of different plants, including sacred trees. While foraging for medicinal plants, community members are taught to carefully take the medicine from plants without damaging the plant. Over time centuries-old knowledge and practices have enhanced conservation. For example, many animal species survive on the plant species that have been protected and preserved through Indigenous women’s belief systems.”
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In Tanzania🇹🇿, the belief systems of the Maasai #IndigenousWomen protect and preserve plant species that allow many animal species to survive. See what UCRT has to say this #IndigenousDay: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
Many Indigenous groups in Tanzania🇹🇿 have a strong spiritual attachment to their environment. UCRT explains how the #TraditionalKnowledge of Maasai pastoralist women enhances #conservation: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
#IndigenousDay
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Asia and the Pacific
Indigenous Peoples Foundation for Education and Environment (IPF)
“The Lisu Traditional Plant Genetic Conservation group of the Pang Sa village is a group of Lisu women banding together to conserve Indigenous plant genetics for food security and natural resource management and conservation using Indigenous wisdom. They work together on both collective and individual farm to propagate local plants for traditional seeds preservation and enhance their knowledge and food sources. The group also campaigns against the use of chemicals and burning in agriculture farming and tries to turn the hot spot area into a healthy spot area. The ICI project will promote and open more opportunities for women’s groups to present and share their knowledge and ability which is valuable for society. It will build mutual trust and gain more acceptance among involved stakeholders living in the same watershed area.”
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In the Pang Sa village in Thailand🇹🇭, the women of the Lisu Traditional Plant Genetic Conservation group conserve Indigenous plant genetics for #FoodSecurity & natural resource management & #conservation using #TraditionalKnowledge. Read more from IPF: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
#IndigenousDay
In Thailand🇹🇭, #ICI_GEF will promote and open more opportunities for women’s groups to present and share their #TraditionalKnowledge. This #IndigenousDay, see IPF’s testimony: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
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Meso and South America
Sotz’il
“In the Indigenous systems of use, management and conservation of natural resources, women are key in the process of seed selection, cultivation, care, harvesting and transmission of intergenerational knowledge. For example, the Guna women are responsible for the selection of corn seeds, as they have the knowledge and the traditional indigenous techniques to implement methodologies of intergenerational transfers. Elena Cumes – Maya Kaqchichel from Tecpan Guatemala – has developed conservation actions in her community. She leads a group of Iximche women who are dedicated to restoration, promotion of women’s productive activities, capacity building development and community indigenous economy.”
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#IndigenousWomen like Elena Cumes – Maya Kaqchichel from Tecpan Guatemala🇬🇹 – are key in the process of seed selection, cultivation, care, harvesting and transmission of intergenerational knowledge.
@SOTZIL_MAYA shares more this #IndigenousDay: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
As holders of #TraditionalKnowledge, Guna women from Panama🇵🇦 are responsible for the selection of corn seeds.
Learn more from @SOTZIL_MAYA: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
#IndigenousDay
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Futa Mawiza
“To keep remembering this knowledge that we Native Peoples have, as women we work to eradicate violence because we can not continue to allow the patriarchy and other systems to keep interfering with our lives, into our perceptions as Indigenous Peoples. Therefore as women we work daily to eradicate this violence and to remove these impositions so that our children continue growing up free in our territories and so that we can promote our identity and our culture, so that they are not lost, so that there is continuity and so that we can continue preserving this territory. Because of this, as women we still have a lot of work ahead of us because we are the ones who must be more rooted, we are the ones who preserve this knowledge and who always put our bodies before any threat. So as women, we must continue working to be equal to men and continue working in complementarity for a future world that is much better and that is inclusive and to keep safeguarding this territory that today as Native People we preserve for the future generations. Not only ours, as Indigenous Peoples, but also of all those who inhabit this planet.”
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This #IndigenousDay, Amancay Quintriqueo Logko – from the Lof Kinxikew Mapuche community in Argentina🇦🇷 – has a message on #IndigenousWomen, #TraditionalKnowledge and #conservation. Read it in our new story: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
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#IndigenousWomen are key for the preservation and transmission of #TraditionalKnowledge.
Check out this message from Futa Mawiza to learn more about their important roles in Argentina🇦🇷: bit.ly/3OTeBK1
