Indigenous Lessons from Ecuador

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Indigenous Lessons from Ecuador
Aug 9, 2012 | John Perkins

As I travel around Ecuador I continue to be impressed with the strength, resilience, and wisdom of the indigenous people. Two examples – one global and one personal:

The Global

On July 25, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the government of Ecuador violated the rights of the Kichwa people of the community of Sarayaku by not giving them a fair hearing and not providing a platform for informed consultation before starting oil development on their lands in the late 1990s.

The ruling is a major victory for the Kichwa and all of us who believe that indigenous people are trail-blazing the way to a more sustainable and socially just world. And it is much more than that. It sets a precedent for the way governments deal with indigenous communities – and by broader implication, with all communities. In essence it requires that communities give their consent before governments sell or lease land and resources to corporations.

The Kichwa of Sarayaku – supported by many other indigenous communities and NGOs like Amazon Watch and The Pachamama Alliance – have struggled to keep oil companies off their lands for many years. They resisted military intervention, threats, bribes, and a vicious propaganda campaign. They are an amazing model of courage, persistence, and commitment to future generations and the earth. They are an inspiration for all of us who understand that this time of prophecies is a time for rising to higher levels of consciousness.

The Personal

I returned to the home of the Tamayos, an Otavalan family of shamans with whom I first starting working more than two decades ago. I spent many hours talking with three generations – from the oldest, 70 year old Don Esteban, to the youngest, 4 year old Ñusta (who is a shaman in training). We discussed many subjects, but our main focus was on the need for humans to feel our connection to, love of, and responsibility for Pachamama (Mother Earth/Universe).

"We all know that the glaciers are melting," Jorge (Don Estaban's son and the father of my 15 year old godson, Joel) told me, "the world is in deep crisis. We must all come together to change the way we think and live."

I've experienced many shamanic readings and healings during the past 4 decades but none more powerful than the one administered this week by the Tamayos.

They read my energy and saw that, like so many activists, I've been worn down. "There are many forces trying to rob your energy," I was told. "Take that as a sign that you're succeeding." They performed a powerful limpia (cleansing) on me. They used earth, air, water, and fire and evoked the powers of the three sacred volcanoes that surround their community. Afterwards, I truly felt like a new person, one who is reinvigorated to be (as they put it) "a lover of and warrior for Mother Earth."

I do not idealize indigenous people. I know they have their share of problems; they are human. However, they have managed to live in harmony with the earth for millennia. In these times of extreme global crises, they offer insights about how we can change ourselves. We are wise to listen.

By the time you read this, I'll be deep in the Amazon – arriving there by small plane, dugout canoe, and along jungle trails. With about 30 members of The Pachamama Alliance, I will learn more from the Achuar and Shuar— people I first met in the late 1960s. The powerful lessons continue. . .

Above all, the indigenous people teach us to have hope. They know we can shapeshift ourselves and our institutions. Together we will create a sustainable, just, and peaceful world where all beings can thrive.

John Perkins' books on economics and geo-politics have sold more than 1 million copies, spent many months on the New York Times and other bestseller lists, and are published in over 30 languages.