More About U'wa

Two Decades of Fellowship with the U'wa People of Colombia

"The power of our struggle and resistance in defense of our worldview ... has guaranteed that we have not faltered."

My First Decade at Amazon Watch

Over ten years, I have been privileged to play a role in most of the organization's major campaign initiatives. While the moments of exhilaration, frustration, learning, anger, and beauty could fill a book, I want to share ten snapshots of key experiences that represent what serving with Amazon Watch has meant to me.

Amplify! A Celebration of Voices from the Amazon

Thank you to all our friends and supporters who joined us on September 27th, 2017 for our annual gala - Amplify! A celebration of voices from the Amazon.

Reclaiming Ancestral Territory: The U'wa Return After Years of Displacement

In July, ten U'wa families packed up their belongings and returned to the hamlet known as Río Negro in the municipality of La Salina. Amazon Watch is proudly supporting the return with funds for everyday necessities like soup pots, mosquito nets, and farming tools.

New Highway Brings Deforestation Near Two Colombian National Parks

Critics say a proposed internationally-financed road to connect Venezuela and Ecuador through Colombia could bring deforestation and industrial development to regions important for indigenous cultural heritage, ecology, and biodiversity

In the depths of the Ecuadorian Amazon, on its border with Peru, indigenous communities have been denouncing what they say is an uncontrolled onslaught of illegal logging and hunting.

Berito's Vision

How the Goldman Prize Bolstered the U'wa Struggle for Territorial Rights

If UNESCO designated people as World Heritage sites, Berito Kuwaru'wa would be a leading candidate. On one hand, he personifies the beautiful and poetic U'wa view of the world, deeply connected to the original laws of nature. On the other, he is a unique and visionary human being, with an innate charisma through which he has bridged cultures and inspired global support for the U'wa struggle.

Colombia's U'wa Still Teaching Us How To Resist

The U'wa consider themselves the guardians of their sacred ancestral homeland. In accordance with their natural laws, for centuries they have successfully defended their territory high in the Andean cloud forests.

Beautiful Solidarity: Our Historic Visit to U'wa Sacred Territory

At Amazon Watch we are extremely proud of the relationship of solidarity we have built with the U’wa, who continue to amaze and inspire us.

Will Colombia's Peace Process Have an Environmental Dark Side?

For the majority of Colombians, and for those who have worked on human rights in Colombia, the conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions can't end soon enough.

Portraits of Resistance: Inside the Peaceful U'wa Uprising

Peace is more than the silencing of guns, and that the peace accord will not address all sources of violence in the conflict. To that end, we share with you this guest blog from Bogota-based activists working with our partners of the U'wa Nation in Colombia, recounting the U'wa's recent struggle to recover their ancestral territory from oil drilling.