NemonteNenquimostoodunderharshlightsinacrowdedcourtroomin Puyo,Ecuador.Shewaswearingredfacepaintandacrownoffeathers.Elderscarryingspearsstoodbesideher.Judgessatinfrontof them.
NenquimoisamemberoftheWaoranination.Forcenturies,theWaoranihavelivedintherainforestsofEcuador.Now,theyhadtofightfortheirculture.Withoutpermission,thegovernmenthaddivideduptheWaorani’sland.Theywantedtoauctionitofftooil companies.
NemonteNenquimoisaleaderoftheWaorani nation.
NemonteNenquimoraisesherfistinasignofdefianceatthestartofthecourthearingin Ecuador.
TheWaoranifoughtback.Nenquimohelpedhertribefilealawsuitagainstthegovernmenttostoptheauction.TheWaoranihadpresentedtheircase.Now,thejudgeswouldannouncetheirdecision.Nemontetookadeep breath.
ARainforestHome
TheWaoraninationismadeupofabout5,000indigenouspeoplewholiveon2.5millionacresofrainforestland.MostofthelandisinEcuador.Morethan1,500speciesofbird,300speciesofmammal,andmorethan840speciesofreptilemaketheirhome here.
“Ourculturecomesfromtheforest,”Nenquimosays.Ashunter-gatherers,theWaorani’slivesareentwinedwiththerainforest.Weaponsforhuntingaremadefromwood.Traditionalhutsaremadeofpalmleavesandtreetrunks.Palmfibersarewoveninto baskets.
Waorani Territory
Amazon
Rainforest
Equator
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacific
Ocean
Ecuador
South
America
500 kilometers
500 miles
South
America
North
America
TheWaoraniliveintheAmazon rainforest.
TheWaoranihavealwaysfoughtoffinvaders,asfarbackastheIncaempire.Theydidnothavesignificantcontactwiththeoutsideworlduntil1958whenAmericanmissionaryRachelSaintmadecontactwith them.
Oncecontactwasestablished,somethingwasdiscovered:oil.Theoilwasvaluable.Togetatit,oilcompaniesranroadsandpipelinesintoWaoraniland.Treeswerecutdown,destroyingecosystemsandanimalhabitats.Mostly,thiswasdonewithoutthepermissionofthe Waoroni.
