For the Kichwa people of Sarayaku, defending their territory means defending the Amazon itself. Their struggle is deeply rooted in their ancestral territory in Ecuador, but the forces threatening the Amazon are global. So the movement to protect it must be global, too.
In this video, Paty Gualinga looks back on one unforgettable chapter in Sarayaku and Amazon Watch’s shared history: the adventure of bringing a canoe from the Amazon all the way to Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21).
It was a long journey, filled with laughter, logistics, unexpected challenges, and more than a few moments when things didn’t go according to plan. But that’s part of the story.
For 30 years, Amazon Watch has had the privilege of working alongside Indigenous peoples throughout the Amazon. These partnerships have taken many forms: campaigns, protests, international advocacy, legal struggles, cultural exchanges, media work, and journeys that sometimes seem impossible.
The journey from Sarayaku to Paris was all of these things at once.
The canoe brought the message of Sarayaku into spaces where decisions about the climate and the future of the Amazon were being made. It was a powerful reminder that the people who have protected the rainforest for generations must have a central voice in determining its future.
And getting there wasn’t always easy. Several obstacles led to moments of uncertainty, stress, and confusion. But above all, there was solidarity. Because solidarity is about being there through the good, the bad, and the inconvenient. Solidarity is about learning from one another, adapting when plans change, and continuing forward together.
Over three decades, Amazon Watch has witnessed the strength, creativity, and leadership of Indigenous movements fighting to defend their territories in the Amazon and our shared future.
Paty’s story of the journey to Paris captures something essential about that relationship. Sometimes solidarity looks like standing together in a courtroom or at a protest. Sometimes it looks like bringing Indigenous voices into international climate negotiations. And sometimes it arrives by canoe.
