Indigenous Social Mapping: Traditional Knowledge for the Amazons protection

Social cartography is an important instrument for the cultural and traditional identification of the landscape, the rainforest and rivers resources, besides it is an indigenous tool for territorial management before governmental entities. 

In the Colombian Amazon, indigenous peoples recognize their ancestral territories through stories that are transmitted orally by the elder men to younger generations, allowing the preservation of the cultural and ancestral knowledge of these peoples.

This process of collective transmission of knowledge, ends in different drawings and maps made on paper which show the most important aspects of the culture such as territory, the routes where their ancestors settle and live, the places of origin of the seeds, the sacred sites and the places of hunting, cultivation and fishing. Thanks to cartography, indigenous peoples recognize their territory and the deep connection that exists between them, the jungle and all the tangible and spiritual beings that live there.

The Gaia Amazonas Foundation from its beginnings and as part of its methodology, incorporated social cartography into the processes that, for more than 30 years of work, have carried out with the indigenous peoples of the Colombian Amazon. This is the case of the communities of ACIYA in Yaigojé Apaporis, that used social cartography to build the bases of the Special Management Regime (REM).

Mapping by indigenous communities allows them to identify threats, resolve conflicts on issues such as land use, delimitation of community jurisdiction, use and management of sacred sites or hunting and fishing sites. This also represents an opportunity for reflection and community participation where all contribute and exchange knowledge and experiences.

In addition, with the information collected, indigenous make a diagnosis of the current state of their territory as well as the future challenges, so they can contribute actively to the solution of environmental problems, mitigate possible pressures and threats on the territory and make good use of the resources of the forest.

All information that indigenous peoples collect, systematize and analyze during social mapping and local research exercises belongs to them, and constitute decision making tools about their territory and culture. In Gaia Amazonas, we accompany and facilitate the processes through our consultants and advisers on gender, environment, indigenous government, culture and geographic information systems.

The team of Geographic Information Systems of Gaia Amazonas, systematize the information through the digitization of the maps with the aid of GPS points, satellite images, digital terrain models and geo-referenced cartographic information from different sources. In this process we have worked with ACURIS, ACAIPI, ACIYA, ACIMA and AATIZOT associations, to generate maps and tools that contribute to the conservation of their ancestral traditions and culture.

The results of social mapping include the revitalization of collective memory and the appropriation of ancestral knowledge by new generations, coordination between the sabedores and curadores, so they can perform rituals and cures following the rhythms and guidelines established in cultural cosmological calendars, and the holding of management proposals in accordance with the ancestral norms for the use and protection of sacred places.

The availability of various maps as a source of documentation for the traditional territory has served to facilitate dialogue between indigenous peoples of the Colombia interested in maintaining and strengthening their cultural knowledge related to the organization territorial.