Arto Carpus Castelo Foundation’s South American activities are mostly concentrated on the remote regions along the Amazon. Amazon, the Lungs of the World, is immensely important for the whole globe. The native nature, culture and people still exist in the Amazon. The foundation has taken its first steps in the Amazon by supporting entrepreneurship and native culture among the indigenous Yagua people.
The Yagua – one of the native people living along the Amazon River – live in Colombia and the southeast of Peru. In the year 2014, approximately 7000 Yaguas remain in 30 communities. These village communities are small, numbering in only 2-30 families.
The culture and language of the Yagua still thrive, although their unique culture is slowly corroding. The remaining small communities still attempt to hold on to their traditional, ecological lifestyle and respect of nature.
The foundation’s activities in the Amazon concentrate on working in harmony with the native communities. The unique balance and harmony between Nature, Culture and Mankind, combined with the possibilities presented by the modern world, need to be taken into account during ecotourism and entrepreneurship projects. The foundation also takes part in the scientific analysis of local medicinal herbs and the improvement of local transportation and traffic.
"The Creator’s guidance has been written into our hearts and our minds, into the small scriptures of Nature, whom everyone can read for themselves – into the everyday phenomena of Nature; the grass and the trees; everything that grows; wind, thunder and rain; seas, lakes and rivers; mountains, rocks and sand; the enormous power of the Sun; the enchantment of Grandmother Moon; the secrets of the stars. All these spirits are our guides. We too have spirits within us, and they can teach us something about the wisdom of the heart. The Creator has given us knowledge of beauty, love, joy and peace, so they might teach us and guide us to the true path of life.” Native American Indian wisdom, Akwesasne.
