Home / Environment / Siekopai Women Guard Amazon Against Oil
Siekopai Women Guard Amazon Against Oil
4 Mar
Summary
- Siekopai women lead resistance against oil industry threats in Amazon.
- Indigenous women organize community assemblies and act as guards.
- Women combine ancestral knowledge with modern tech for land protection.
On the Ecuador-Peru border, Siekopai women are leading the fight to protect the Amazon. These Indigenous women are at the forefront of resistance against oil extraction, mining, and monocultures threatening their ancestral lands. They organize community assemblies and act as Indigenous guards, safeguarding their culture and natural resources.
Their efforts combine ancestral knowledge with modern technology, including drones and satellite internet, to protect their families and land. Despite facing external criminalization of protests and internal gender norms challenges, these women continue to unite and organize.
The Siekopai Nation, historically occupying territories along the Ecuador-Peru border, has faced drastic population decline due to diseases, colonization, and the impacts of the oil industry. Today, approximately 800 Siekopai live in Ecuador and 1,200 in Peru.
The Keñao Productive Women's Association, established in 2022, supports Siekopai female artisans and promotes women's economic autonomy and participation in community leadership.
