Ñukanchi Sacha Kawsaywa Aylluchishkamanda/Relaciones con nuestra selva/Relating to Our Forest
Stories of the forest and river by the Association of Upper Napo Kichwa Midwives (AMUPAKIN)
Photo by Alí Huitzílatl L-R: Georgia Ennis; María Narváez; Angelina Grefa; Ofelia Salazar; Sisa Yumbo
Collaborative methods
At AMUPAKIN’s request, we collaborated to design a multimodal narrative arts project with funding from the Ecuadorian Ministry of Culture and Patrimony, which focused on the social relationships storytellers hold with supay, sacha runa and yaku runa, powerful beings that mediate the use of medicinal plants and other natural resources of the Amazon. The project involved the elder midwives of AMUPAKIN and their husbands, as well as their children and grandchildren, who assisted with recording, illustrating, and transcribing, and translating the stories. We were further assisted by a visual anthropologist, a graphic designer, and a team of international graduate students who completed translations from Spanish to English.
Front: Adela Alvarado; Jeison Cerda; Back: Roberto Cerda; Alex Salazar
Multiple modalities
This project leveraged both textual formatting and audiovisual media in order to document the personal and ancestral narratives of the members of AMUPAKIN. Upper Napo Kichwa is widely known for its rich tradition of oral narrative. Drawing upon the techniques of ethnopoetics, our translations highlight the narrative and stylistic practices of the storytellers, particularly the interplay of voices in their stories. The videos meanwhile, aim to make other narrative modes, such as Upper Napo Kichwa storytellers’ use of gesture and ideophony, available to wider audiences.
Read an excerpt
Read Chapter 13 “Mundu amarun/La boa poderosa que come humanos/The powerful people-eating boa,” in which Ofelia Salazar relates a story about how the mundu amarun was vanquished, and the importance of respect for elders’ knowledge. Read it here.
Watch a video
Watch Adela Alvarado’s story, “Yaku runa/El hombre del río” (Kichwa with Spanish subtitles). In this narrative, Adela describes her skills as a fisher due to the social relationships she has held with the river.
Learn more about AMUPAKIN
Visit AMUPAKIN’s website to learn more about the Association of Upper Napo Kichwa Midwives and their work to preserve ancestral medicine and provide culturally-appropriate care to women in the Amazon.
Front: Sisa Yumbo; Alí Huitzílatl; Back: María Narváez; Ines Tanguila; Adela Alvarado;
Photo by Alí Huitzílatl; L-R: Georgia Ennis, Sisa Yumbo; María Narváez; María Antonia Shiguango; Olga Chongo
Ashka pagarachu/Gracias/Thank you
Autores: Adela Alvarado; Catalina Aguinda; Patricio Cerda; Olga Chongo; Luis Huatatoca; Maria Narvaez; Serafina Grefa; Angelina Grefa; Maria Antonia Shiguango; Francisco Salazar; Ofelia Salazar; Marilin Salazar; Ines Tanguila
Equipo: Georgia Ennis (coordinadora); Adela Alvarado; Roberto Cerda
Filmación: Alí Huitzílatl (directora y editación); Roberto Cerda; Olmedo Salazar; Anderson Salazar; Roy Shiguango; Sisa Yumbo
Transcripción y traducción AMUPAKIN: Jeison Cerda; Roberto Cerda; Kelly Huatatoca; Alex Salazar; Ofelia Salazar; Olmedo Salazar; Mayra Shiguango; Roy Shiguango; Cristian Tanguila
Revisión y traducción: Ernesto Benítez; Georgia Ennis; Karolina Grzech; Trisha López; Nick Padilla; Lisa Warren Carney; John White
Diseño: Virginia Black