Covid-19 in three indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon
Quito, ECUADOR — The communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon have resorted to medicinal plants to treat the Coronavirus, they have dedicated themselves to strengthening fish farming and tourism to overcome this pandemic.
CONFENIAE (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon), Amazon Watch, Fundación Aldea and the University San Francisco of Quito have collected data to monitor Covid-19 in the different nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon. As of October 3, 2020, there were 3059 positive cases, 49 confirmed deaths, and 54 deaths with symptoms.
In Ecuador each indigenous nationality is composed of several communities settled throughout the country. The Shuar nationality of Morona Santiago is one of the most affected by the pandemic now, with 683 active cases. Among all the Kichwas communities in Napo, there are 470 cases, the Siekopai have 29, and the Sapara have 80.
The Pandemic Journal spoke with Ruth Grefa (Kichwa), Justino Piaguaje (Siekopai) and Manari Ushigua (Sápara) to learn about their livelihoods during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Virus Alerts in the Amazon
Since the end of March, communities in the Amazon began to recognize the virus in their populations. Justino Piaguaje, President of the Siekopai nationality, explains that when the villagers got sick, the health centers detected a common flu. The population has 723 inhabitants, composed of seven communities in the province of Sucumbios, in the north of the country.
Ruth Grefa, coordinator of the fish farming project in the community of San José in the province of Napo (north-central Ecuador), says that at first the community of 500 inhabitants thought that the virus was dengue.
Piaguaje points out that the Siekopai called on the national government to request Covid-19 tests in their communities. The community had to look for the test themselves with private alliances. The results took about two weeks, when the virus spread. The indigenous nationalities, together with non-governmental organizations, signed a letter to the National Government requesting guarantees for the health and well-being of the communities in the face of the pandemic:
Interviewees acknowledge the limited government assistance and highlight the effort made among community members to address this pandemic that has left the country in economic crisis in addition to the disease.
Medicinal plants to counteract the virus
Community leaders began to make decisions to address the virus. Piaguaje mentions the community adopted a fighting attitude, “we are already infected, let’s look for solutions”. They bought oxygen tanks for people with a serious condition. “We had a bad experience sending a colleague to the hospital, after 20 days he died”.
Grefa agrees, no one in the San Jose community wanted to go to hospitals for fear of not returning. Manari Ushigua, leader of the Bi-National Organization of Sapara People of Ecuador and Peru, comments that only one person died in their community of Llamchamacocha. A grandfather who left the Sapara territory, located in the province of Pastaza in the northeast of the country, bordering Peru.
The three interviewees agree that they have relied on ancestral wisdom to apply medicinal herbs to patients during this time. In the Siekopai community, also known as Secoya, 80 infections have been counted, 30 through PCR tests and 50 through fast tests. The Sápara territory has counted 120 people infected since the beginning of the pandemic.
Piguaje explains that they have used two recipes of medicinal plants to elaborate a natural treatment. The Siekopai use seven plants, they cook them for a beverage. Some of the leaves they use are known as cat’s claw, umuko, sesepëkë and ëtapeko (Siekopai names). If the patient needed more treatment they would use the same beverage in vaporizations. Another three-plant recipe was used as a dropper to inhale through the nose and release the airways (see photo). In more severe cases they used oxygen.
Ushigua, on the other hand, comments that the Saparas used the sticta plant. They would place the water from the leaf in their hands and inhale it through their noses to decongest the pathways, they would apply this for three days.
Grefa, on the other hand, explains that as a treatment, her community used a natural compound that includes up to 15 medicinal plants such as ayahuasca, guayusa or tindamuyo. The preparation was used in vaporizations and for bathing, depending on the aches of the patient. She acknowledges that no one respirator to help them breath.
The World Health Organization has recognized that about 80% of people who contract Covid-19 recover without special treatment. However, they have also confirmed that approximately 1 in 5 infected patients have respiratory difficulties that require hospitalization.
Communities suffered paralysis from daily activities
To access certain Sapara communities it is necessary to arrive by plane. Therefore, Ushigua explains that contact with other communities -especially those located in Peru- was lost during the months of greater restriction. They also had problems accessing products such as salt or hooks and knifes that the community uses for fishing, hunting and work.
Piaguaje comments that the Siekopai recieved food form entities only once. However, he believes that it felt culturally inappropriate, as they recieved rice, tuna and oil. “People wanted to go fishing and hunting.” They resumed their regular activities in July.
Grefa points out that the community of San Jose was hit hardest by the closure of markets, fairs and restrictions on free movement. It became difficult to get food from outside the community. Women producers had to stop selling and exchanging food. Other producers, as well, were unable to sell to domestic suppliers.
Likewise, activities carried out among indigenous populations such as mingas (community work with a social purpose), assemblies and traditional celebrations have been limited.
Fish farming and agriculture to feed communities
All three interviewees recognize that the help of non-governmental organizations has been key, to accessing Covid-19 tests, to receive financial donations and tools to deal with this pandemic.
Grefa highlights the support of the Centro Lianas Foundation and the contributions of the United Nations Development Programme’s Small Grants Programme. The fish farming program -which the community has been working for the last four years-, allowed them to create natural pools for the breeding of cachamas -a native fish of the Amazon-. They started with 2000 fish and now have 7000.
Grefa emphasizes that during the pandemic this production has been useful to feed families and exchange with local farmers. Due to mobility restrictions, more families joined the project and developed their pools to breed cachamas. “As part of the community’s Fish Association, we donated 100 fry (baby cachama’s) to 14 families so that they could have their own food”.
Piaguaje highlights the contribution of the Ceibo Alliance, an alliance between Siona, A’i Kofan, Siekopai and Waorani nationalities. Through which they have accompanied and shared experiences to face the pandemic. Piaguaje comments that they have shared their medicinal plants with these and other communities that needed it.
They are working in partnership with local governments to work on the creation of ponds to implement fish farming. Where they will also have the support of the Centro Lianas Foundation.
On the other hand, Grefa and his family are also producers of guayusa -an Amazonian leaf used to make beverages-. They use to sell it every six months to an American company. Their next sale was due in April, but due to restrictions it was suspended. They now have about 30 quintals that they hope to sell in the next few months.
Ushigua, on the other hand, rescues the connection of the Saparas with the jungle. “Our hunting and planting is coordinated with our dreams,” the indigenous leader said. The Llamchamacocha community has dedicated itself to fishing and agriculture for subsistence. A diet based on yucca, plantain, potato and river fish has kept the community fed, even during the lockdown.
Tourism to keep up with economic activites and preserve culture
Ushigua acknowledges that they received help from NGOs such as Fundación Pachamama, Landes Life, Acción Ecológica and their own Naku project. The aid made it possible for them to pay for flights to certain communities, to hire doctors, and to hire PCR tests. Even to send food to areas where hunting was not possible.
The Sapara community has focused on tourism. However, local and international restrictions have prevented them from continuing their regular activities. In order not to lose contact with the tourists, Ushigua has managed to connect through the internet. He started with a live virtual conference and now teaches online courses to introduce dream interpretation from the Sapara’s perspective.
“Our tourism shows part of the ancestral knowledge of the Sapara world”. So he continues to generate virtual encounters, forming online groups to make the Sapara worldview available until international tourism fully reopens.
The Covid-19 has left its mark on the communities. But indigenous leaders recognize that the most difficult thing has been the loss of the elders of the communities. They are the ones who pass on ancestral wisdom to new generations, allowing the culture to remain alive. While protecting the elders, the communities continue to work internally to develop through fish farming, agriculture and tourism.
