Conservation, Cosmovision, and Gender in Maijuna Native Communities
Location:
Native Maijuna Communities, Peru
Art Medium:
Mural Painting
Partner:
One Planet
Artist:
Estefania Cox
The Challenge
The Maijuna people, one of the smallest Indigenous groups in the Peruvian Amazon, are working to protect their land and culture amid environmental and social challenges. The planned expansion of the Bellavista–Mazán–Salvador–El Estrecho Highway threatens the Maijuna-Kichwa Regional Conservation Area, a 390,000-hectare forest they have worked to restore. At the same time, the Maijuna language, Máíhìkì, is at risk of being lost, and gender disparities limit community participation in decision-making.
The Action
Creative Action Institute and One Planet worked with the Maijuna community to implement workshops focused on leadership development, with a particular focus on addressing existing gender roles that limit the community, and conservation. Forty-four women took part in leadership training, increasing their influence in decision-making processes. A men’s group is being developed to promote respect and non-violence. Workshop participants created a public mural depicting imagery that represents their deep connection to the land.
The Impact
• Following the workshops, a respected female community member voluntarily began teaching Máíhìkì at the local school, supporting efforts to keep the language alive.
• Stay tuned for more!
"It is essential to know the traditions of our culture, how we lived in ancient times, and why so many legends were preserved. My task as a leader is to protect the children's future, and the key to this future is the forest."