L’esprit de la rivière
Can you tell us about your project?
For us, the Kukamas of the Peruvian Amazon, the Marañón River is sacred. She is our Mother Nature, a living being endowed with a spirit. With oil extractions, this ancestral territory is threatened. For more than 20 years, I have fought for the river, urging the government to recognize it as a subject of law. Because without a river, there is no forest. And without a forest, it’s over for the Amazon, lung
of our planet.
How do you also work for women?
I chair the Federation of Kukamas Women, which promotes gender equality and female empowerment. We organize to defend our territory, our body, our rights. Women are close to Mother Earth, they are symbols of the future and bear
the future generations. However, they are excluded from decisions and are victims of violence. This must change!
What does the Terre de Femmes Prize mean to you?
Knowing that we will finally be helped gives me the impression of being in a dream! This award gives me confidence. It will allow us to be heard, to continue our fight for the river and for our rights.
How is this project an adventure for you?
It is an adventure of emancipation. The project is based on the education of women, men and young people. An individual and collective adventure, but also political and resolutely turned towards the future.
Find Mari Luz and her association Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana (Kukamas Women’s Federation) on their social networks:
