Posts by Barbara Illana
A People Who Resist Collectively: The Gathering of the Wai Wai
The Wai Wai are an Indigenous people who live across portions of the Guianas (Guyana and Suriname) and northern Brazil, especially in the south of Brazil’s Roraima state. Informal records link their name, which derives from the Karib language family, to the armadillo. The armadillo may be perceived as emblematic of the Wai Wai identity…
Read MoreFrom Bogotá to Belém: What’s at stake for the future of the Amazon
Carolina Gil, Regional Director of the Amazon Conservation Team Colombia authored this op-ed, published August 27, 2025 in El Espectador, a daily newspaper in Colombia. OPINION | “Today it is clear: the environmental agenda is the political agenda. What happens in the Amazon will define not only the climatic future, but also the stability of…
Read MoreIndigenous Women March for Territories and Life
In August 2025, more than five thousand Indigenous women occupied Brasília, Brazil’s capital city, to advocate for their rights at the 4th Indigenous Women’s March. The mobilization culminated in the development of proposals for a National Policy Plan for Indigenous Women. From August 3 to 7, 2025, the event assembled thousands of women from Brazil’s…
Read MoreWithout Territory, There Is No Climate Justice for the Kokama People
The 7th Assembly of the Kokama People focused on land rights, education, health, and the preservation of language and traditional knowledge within the broader context of the climate crisis. Held in Amaturá, in the state of Amazonas, from July 8–11, the 7th General Assembly of the Kokama People’s Movements marked an important milestone in the…
Read MoreSem território, não há justiça climática para o povo Kokama
A 7ª Assembleia do povo Kokama debateu demarcação, educação, saúde e valorização da língua e dos saberes tradicionais dentro do contexto da crise climática. Realizada em Amaturá, no estado do Amazonas, entre os dias 8 e 11 de julho, a 7ª Assembleia Geral dos Movimentos do Povo Kokama foi um importante marco na luta indígena…
Read MoreIndigenous Medicine Webinar: Five Takeaways from ACT-Brasil’s “Paths of Healing” Seminar
In a recent webinar, ACT-Brasil spotlighted the vital role of Indigenous medicine in today’s world. From scientific recognition to intercultural healthcare solutions, the “Paths of Healing” conversation explored how ancestral knowledge can and should transform public health practice and policy—and why investing in it is essential for people and the planet. 5 Highlights from the…
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