The Kindy Hummingbird Campaign

Hummingbird Beadwork by Kamëntsá Women

Indigenous Artisans Support

Supporting over 20 women-led households by helping them create and sell their handmade hummingbirds. Each piece is a prayer, a story, and a step toward economic independence.

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About the Campaign

The Kindy Hummingbird Campaign, led by OIOC, is a long-standing initiative dedicated to uplifting Kamëntsá women artisans through economic empowerment and the preservation of ancestral knowledge. Today, more than 20 Kamëntsá families—guided by resilient artisan mothers—create sacred beadwork inspired by the natural world and their cultural symbolism.

The hummingbird—Kindy in Kamëntsá—is a sacred symbol of love, willpower, and spiritual connection. Through this campaign, we offer beautifully hand-beaded hummingbirds for organizations, retreat centers, and conscious gift-givers seeking to walk in reciprocity.

This initiative works to establish a consistent market for the artisans’ creations, ensuring long-term sustainability and dignity for Indigenous families.

We invite organizations in the realms of psychedelics, plant medicine, and ancestral healing to stand in reciprocity—supporting the communities that have safeguarded sacred knowledge for generations. Together, we can build pathways of justice, cultural continuity, and ecological wisdom.

About the Artisans

In the heart of the Colombian Amazon, Kamëntsá women carry forward an ancestral jewelry-making tradition that reflects their cultural heritage and profound connection to the natural world. Each piece of jewelry is more than adornment—it is a living expression of a culture that has honored nature for countless generations.

The Language of Symbols

For Kamëntsá women, symbols are a form of ancient writing. Woven and beaded into their creations, these motifs represent elements they honor—such as the sun, corn, the river, the frog, and the tiger. Each symbol carries spiritual meaning, offering protection, guidance, and a connection to their ceremonial heritage. Their art preserves a language of the soul passed down through generations.

Reciprocity in Action

Acquiring Kamëntsá jewelry is an act of reciprocity. Your support directly contributes to:

Sustaining ancestral artistic practices
Creating stable income for Indigenous families
Preserving cultural knowledge for future generations
Strengthening women-led entrepreneurship
Fostering authentic cultural exchange

By supporting this work, you help ensure that these traditions continue to flourish for generations to come.

Ethical Gifts That Give Back to Indigenous Communities

These handcrafted hummingbirds are more than beautiful—they are ethical gifts that directly support Indigenous women, help preserve Kamëntsá cultural identity, and promote reciprocity within the psychedelic and plant medicine space.

Perfect for:

Conscious events
Retreat centers
Ceremonial spaces
Mission-aligned gifting

Details:

Minimum order: 20 hummingbirds
100% of proceeds go to Kamëntsá women and their families

About the Campaign

Leadership Team

Meet the Beadwork Guardians

Bata Carmen Chicunque

Lead Artisan and Master of Traditional Design

Omaira Chindoy

Artisan and Teacher

Sandra Chicunque

Young Master of Natural Symbolism

Maura C. Jansasoy

Guardian of Traditional Techniques

Milena Salazar Muchavisoy

Specialist in Hummingbird Designs

Hummingbird Beadwork Doris Chindoy_edite

Doris Carmen Chindoy

Master of Thread Weaving

With 30 years of dedicated artistry, Carmen (43) leads our artisan community with unparalleled design and color combination expertise. "I am deeply grateful to those who purchase our pieces," she shares, "as they not only support our families but help preserve the ancestral traditions of Kamentsa art."

With 15 years of weaving expertise, Omaira (37) finds deep fulfillment in her craft. It provides her with the independence to be present with her children while passing on these sacred traditions. "This work gives me the freedom to be with my children," she says, "teaching them our ancestral craft as they grow."

At 28, Sandra Elizabeth represents the vibrant future of Kamentsa artistry. Drawing on eight years of experience and generations of family legacy, she specializes in creating pieces that capture the essence of nature through traditional symbols. "This work is my family's legacy," "where we embed different symbols of nature into each piece."

Maura carries forward a lifetime of artistic heritage from her home in Tamabioy village within the Kamentsa territory. "I showed great interest in this art from a very young age," she reflects, "learning eagerly from our elders." Today, she has mastered all traditional beadwork jewelry techniques, supporting her two children single-handedly through her craft.

Also 28, Milena brings nine years of dedicated craftsmanship to her work, with a special passion for creating hummingbird designs. "This work is like meditation," she shares, "allowing me to focus my time and energy into creation." Her pieces are known for their delicate representation of these sacred birds, each one reflecting the meditative state in which they are created.

For the past decade, Doris has specialized in thread weaving, where she brings to life the rich symbolism of the Kamentsa community. As a single mother of three children (15, 11, and 7 years old), she channels her creativity and cultural knowledge into supporting her family. Her pieces are distinctive for their intricate thread work, each one telling a story of her people's connection to the natural world.