Historic Meeting of the Remaining Matsés Elder Shamans Concludes with Completion of First Indigenous Medicine Encyclopedia Deep in the farthest reaches of the Amazon rainforest, the last remaining elder shamans of the Matsés tribe came together from distant villages in a quest to save their ancestral knowledge from the edge of extinction. This meeting concluded […] Continue reading »
Major strides in our Amazon conservation projects; Acaté receives 501(c)(3), first foundational grants, and more! Dear friends and supporters, Greetings! Over the summer, the Acaté Amazon Conservation team made significant strides on all fronts of our on-the-ground conservation initiatives in partnership with the Matsés indigenous people. We are excited to update you on the interval […] Continue reading »
Taking on slash-and-burn agriculture It’s not easy reaching Matsés territory, but finally, after a week of saying goodbye to my family in Iquitos only to return a couple hours later with yet another cancelled flight, the Peruvian Air Force float plane took off and soared off into the horizon. I was headed for the small […] Continue reading »
Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New Year! The entire team here at Acaté Amazon Conservation wishes you a warm and joyous holiday season! As 2013 draws to a close, we reflect on the enormous strides we have achieved together in our conservation projects in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest. Together with our partners, the […] Continue reading »
Nothing is more challenging than advising experts. The Matsés indigenous people are master farmers, and it seems strange to even suggest farming ideas to people who live almost entirely off the land. The problem is that their traditional small-scale swidden (slash-and-burn) approaches to farming, once superbly adapted sustainable agriculture for a semi-nomadic lifestyle, do not […] Continue reading »