Young people from Isos recreate Guarani stories with puppets to raise awareness about conservation

“ISOSEÑOS FOR THEIR TERRITORY”

Isoseño reta i+v+ rupi

Inspiring new generations to defend their territory, value biodiversity, and keep their culture alive is the role and transgenerational legacy of the young Guarani Environmental Multipliers as caretakers of life.

After several days of intensive learning, 33 young people from the Cuarirenda Community began their training as agents of change, becoming involved in the mission to promote the conservation of the Kaa-Iya National Park and its biodiversity. The activity was carried out through the recovery of ancient traditions, stories, myths, and legends about the jaguar, originating from the Guarani-Isoseño culture.

The workshop, held from October 17th to 20th at the Juan Félix Arandiko Educational Unit in the largest community of the Isoso Indigenous Territory, consisted of informative and reflective presentations, as well as practical exercises and activities led by Savia technicians. Teachers also participated, as they are part of this community-based educational process aimed at promoting, transmitting, and valuing the ancestral heritage of the Guarani-Isoso people.

Mabel Justiniano, participant in the Guarani Environmental Multipliers Workshop.

“We have been able to learn how to make puppets, to raise awareness in my community about the importance of conserving wild animals such as the jaguar and the Kaa-Iya Protected Area.”.

The training program for Guarani Youth Environmental Educators focuses on promoting ecological awareness among young people in the region, identifying leaders, and developing their skills to educate through puppetry and by preserving their own cultural traditions. The experience was enriched by the interest, leadership, and creativity of the young people and teachers, who prepared scripts based on local stories and made their own puppets to convey their messages.

Six works with cultural, historical and environmental themes were presented in a show for around 200 people including children, young people and adults: “The urina and the tiger”, “The history of our Cuarirenda Community”, “The fox and the armadillo”, “The hunter of Kaa-Iya”, “Wild animals of Isoso” and “The Sun and the Moon”, were the works that recharged the audience with emotions and joys.

The action was carried out by the Savia Association in coordination with community authorities, the Charagua District Directorate and the JF Arandiko Educational Unit, responding to the projects “Knowing the Yagua and Recreating Our Ancestral Memory: Guaraní Environmental Youth Multipliers” and “Operation Jaguar Bolivia”, both initiatives financed by the Dutch Committee of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), by virtue of inducing the local commitment to protect the natural and cultural wealth in indigenous territories.