The purpose: raise awareness about the importance of conserving community’s forests.
© Conservation International Peru
This month the first edition of the Awajun festival "Ikam Etsagagmi - Let's Heal the Forest”, was held in the native community of Huascayacu, Alto Mayo landscape. The event brought together more than 200 Awajún community members and was organized by the Regional Awajún Federation of Alto Mayo - FERIAAM together with Conservation International and its partners.
"This festival seeks to raise awareness about how we can still heal our forests. That we can grow our food, take advantage of our clean rivers, that we can leave our children a better future," said Fernández Sejekam, FERIAAM's representative, in his inaugural speech.
Learning about the consequences of deforestation and the need to recover the connection and harmony between the Awajún people and their forest was the main purpose. To this end, the festival hosted different spaces where attendees participated in handicraft workshops, children’s reading sessions, a photo exhibition, sustainable initiatives, contests, etc.
© Conservation International Peru
Along with initiatives about the use of vanilla and the management of cocoa and coffee under agroforestry systems, one of the most visited stands of the fair was that of the ajas (women's farms). "Here I learned that we can plant sachapapa, dale dale, clavohuasca and other plants that we find in the forest and that we use for food and medicine. That is why we must take care of our forest," said Elena Wasum, one of the community members attending the festival.
Thanks to the support of the Awajun federation the community members were provided access to different social services. Professionals of the Local Health Network, National Registry and Identification services, the Women's Emergency Center, and the National School Nutrition Program, among others, were also present.