“When One of Us Heals, We All Heal” The Making of a Manifesto by Indigenous Women of the Amazon

Self-care, Collective Care, and Political Practices for the Defense of Territories, Culture, and Life

“When One of Us Heals, We All Heal”

The Making of a Manifesto by Indigenous Women of the Amazon

Last November, Indigenous women from the Amazon came together in the A’i Cofán community of Sinangoe, in northern Ecuador. They arrived first by canoe and then by foot, walking together on the shore of the Aguarico river. Over three days they shared their stories, songs, their grief, hope and frustration as they discussed self-care, collective care, and how to defend their territories, culture, and lives. 

Usually, at the end of a gathering, the sense of connection and transformation that feels so strong when people are together can start to fade, but on this occasion, after the women went their separate ways, it continued to grow. 

Before loading up the canoes again and returning to their distinct homes, the women wanted to create something that captured not just the moment, but the promise and determination that they would carry with them, to each of their communities across the Amazon. They wanted something to share with the world and to revisit themselves, to help keep what they’d learned together alive, despite distance and everyday life. 

So, they combined their collective voices into the manifesto below, about their power as Indigenous women and most importantly, as a family dedicated to a common cause.