Waorani: Mapping Ancestral Lands
In the face of mounting threats to their lands and livelihoods, Waorani communities have begun creating territorial maps of their forests that document the historic and actual uses of their territory, demonstrating that their homelands are not up for grabs.
Whereas the maps of oil companies show petrol deposits and major rivers, the maps that the Waorani peoples are creating identify historic battle sites, ancient cave-carvings, jaguar trails, medicinal plants, animal reproductive zones, important fishing holes, creek-crossings, sacred waterfalls
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