AYELE at the Amazon Women’s Assembly | Pastaza, Ecuador
Author
Janne Bierwirth
Date Published
We had the honor of participating in the Assembly of this Ancestral Community
It was a long and deeply meaningful day, during which we were able to closely accompany the work, organization, and commitment that sustain this important space.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Elvia Dagua Guatatuca for the invitation and for the trust placed in AYELE.
Her dedication, leadership, and clarity in advancing these processes are truly inspiring and demonstrate the impact of committed guidance.
For us, it was a privilege to witness the collective effort, the contributions of the participants, and the strength that emerges when so many voices come together.
Speech by Elvia Dagua Guatatuca
Elvia reaffirms the fundamental role of women in the defense of territory, water, and life itself.
Powerful and memory-filled intervention
Her words remind us that protecting Sumak Kawsay, Pachamama, and Yaku Mama is not only a political struggle, but also a spiritual and cultural one.
With clarity, she denounces how Indigenous peoples are often exoticized as “folklore,” while their real struggles for self-determination and the protection of their territories remain invisible. Elvia asserts the dignity, identity, and right of her community to exist without being reduced to a decorative presence in official events.
Her call is a collective cry to men, women, children, and youth, to stand firm, take to the streets, and continue defending their land, their rivers, their language, and the future of the generations to come.
A powerful reminder that resistance is an act of love for the Earth and for life itself.
The day began with the arrival of participants from various communities for a full schedule of activities.
Community authorities and representatives from allied institutions shared welcoming messages and reaffirmed their commitment to women’s development.
Projects of the Kapari Warmi School
The assembly included cultural presentations highlighting the importance of art and expression within community processes.
The strength of multiple generations coming together created a space of inspiration and unity.
Kaparik Warmi students presented four projects aimed at offering solutions and improving the well-being of their communities.
- Sessions focused on training and knowledge exchange aimed at strengthening skills and capacities and leadership.
- A segment dedicated to education and the transmission of ancestral knowledge that strengthens our collective identity.
Community gardens offer diversity and life:
fresh foods that nourish both the body and the land.
Each dish comes from the forest and the ancestral knowledge of the community’s women:
an Amazonian plant with energizing leaves.
Guayusa
In the community, it is occasionally shared in a circle, creating a moment of togetherness and starting the day with clarity and connection.
Sweet and abundant
Pineapple
Pineapple is a gift of the forest and a staple in daily nourishment.
More then a spice
Ají
Ají is character. Bold, vibrant, and present in every meal.
Zapallo
Squash is nourishment and strength, a traditional food that supports generations.
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