Lucinda is the daughter of Arturo, a famous Matsés warrior and plant medicine expert who wrote Chapter 3 of the Matsés Medicine Encyclopedia. She lives with her family in Buenas Lomas Nueva. She is a prolific farmer and is very fond of showing off and sharing her bountiful harvests. Her house is a hub of activity in the community, and no one ever leaves hungry.
In addition to farming and taking care of her family, Lucinda also loves making bracelets and other Matsés traditional crafts on her homemade looms. She is expert at weaving the kinship bracelets, known as tasiuinec, that are specific to the Matsés tribe. These woven ornaments are tied on the wrist or ankle. A sister puts on her little brothers ankle ornament by slipping the knotted ends through little loops. As she grows, a girl will weave for her brother, her husband and then for her children, just as the boy will grow to ask for ornaments from his mother, his sister, and eventually his wife.
Lucinda is committed to preserving the Matsés territory and traditions while incorporating outside necessities like electric lights to help improve their standard of living.
Lucinda and her family.
Acaté Amazon Conservation is a non-profit conservation organization based in the United States and Perú that is an extraordinary partnership of the Matsés indigenous people and dedicated conservationists with decades of experience. The Matsés indigenous people live along the tributaries of the upper Javari River, in the heart of the Amazon Basin of what is now the present day border between northeastern Peru and Brazil. The Matsés are famed as fierce warriors due to their defeat of the rubber tappers who invaded their territory early in the 20th century and their long conflict against frontier colonizers backed by the Peruvian military. The Matsés historically avoided navigable rivers and maintained hostile relations with neighboring non-tribal Peruvians and Brazilians. Peaceful contact with the outside world began in 1969 when they accepted a meeting with missionaries. Since the late 1990s, acculturation of the Matsés People to the national cultures has proceeded at a rapid place. Although most Matsés still meet all their nutritional needs through traditional subsistence activities including hunting, fishing, trapping, swidden horticulture, and collection of wild foods, their interactions and dependencies on the outside world are increasing.
The Matsés safeguard a vast and biodiverse corridor of intact primary rainforest as well as shield some of the last remaining uncontacted tribal groups in isolation from unwanted encroachment from the outside world.
All of Acaté’s projects are developed in a close partnership with, led, and implemented by the Matsés indigenous people. We operate through implementing strategic programs and real-on-the-ground initiatives that help them protect their chosen way of life, traditions, their ancestral lands and ecology. The on-the-ground conservation initiatives are capacity-building and designed to support their self-sufficiency and independence. Acaté operates with unparalleled integrity and transparency in its operations, partnerships, and reporting.
You can subscribe to Acaté for the latest updates on our on-the-ground conservation initiatives in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest.
Please consider donating today to support our work. The Matsés and other indigenous peoples in the Amazon struggle with the most limited external resources to protect the future of their people, culture, and their rainforests. Each donation will be applied where it will have the highest impact and with full transparency and accountability. Acaté does not exist for the sake of sitting on the sidelines. We are here to make a true impact and we welcome your support!
Acaté Field Coordinator and Researcher, Dr. David Fleck, lives and works with the Matsés near Estirón, Perú. As a community member, Dr. Fleck has used his educational training to help the Matsés document their culture and tribal history. Two of his most recent publications are:
In addition to documenting their language and history, Dr. Fleck is also working with Matsés elders and shamans to help preserve their indigenous medicinal wisdom, all written in the Matsés language.
