Sibundoy Valley, an area of 46,938 hectares (116,000 acres) in the department of Alto Putumayo, was historically a large wetland area where only the Inga and Kamëntsá indigenous communities lived.

At that time, the area had many species of flora and fauna, while the indigenous people used ancestral knowledge to subsist on polycultures (diverse crops grown on the same site), also known as “chagras”. It was a territory where man and natural resources coexisted without causing major damage.

In the late 19th century, the arrival of settlers introduced livestock activity in the hillside areas, and initiated human settlements and intense drainage channels to the wetlands to expand the agricultural frontier for monocrops and cattle farming.

This colonization process included redefining and appropriating lands belonging to the Resguardos (conservation sites under indigenous management), where resistance was met with enslavement or violence (burning of settlements, death).

Pressure from international markets for natural resources in the area, such as quinine and rubber, also forced the indigenous population into hard labor and genocide (via measles and influenza, which the indigenous people had no resistance to due to their previous relative isolation).

During this time of new production systems, the conversion to Christianity and the introduction of goods, many indigenous groups struggled to maintain their identity and relationship with the territory. Many cultural elements like their language and oral history survived.

According to a soil survey by Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC), whilst 30% of the area was sanctioned for conservation and environmental protection, the reality is that 3% remains of forests, wetlands, and semi-natural areas.

Nieto Escalante, Director of IGAC, suggests that “agricultural, livestock and conservation use have a place, but in a proportionate and controlled way. The Inga and Kamëntsá are the closest to proper agricultural use of the land. These communities still apply ancestral practices such as chagras, which generate self-consumption through polycultures. By working with indigenous communities who know the health of their soil, authorities can develop a roadmap towards food security and mitigating environmental risks.”

In general terms, most Amazonian peoples have developed models of forest management that allow its persistence without radically transforming the vegetation cover. The indigenous people have developed a holistic vision on the environment; they see themselves as intrinsic to their territory, which is perceived in many cases as a sacred living organism that deserves respect. Their relationship with nature is mediated by symbolic concepts around moderated resource use, and balance of energy.

Today, institutions like the World Bank demand participation of local populations in projects related to resource management. OIOC recognizes our rights and an opportunity to work towards autonomous development concerning our sacred lands, values and culture. Our plans are organized around environmental recuperation, community needs, and balanced use of nature and continuity of the forest.

Sources:

1. Livestock farming devours environmental treasures of Sibundoy Valley. Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute. https://antiguo.igac.gov.co/es/noticias/la-ganaderia-se-ha-devorado-gran-parte-de-los-tesoros-ambientales-del-valle-del-sibundoy

2. Environmental Management Plan for the Wetlands of Sibundoy Valley. Corporation for Sustainable Development of Southern Amazon. https://www.corpoamazonia.gov.co/images/Publicaciones/30%202006_PMA_Humedales_Valle_Sibundoy/2006_PMA_humedales_Valle_de_sibundoy.pdf

3. Indigenous Resguardos of Colombia: their contribution to conservation and sustainable forest use. Netherlands Committee for The World Conservation Union, IUCN. https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2003-017.pdf