Cuyabeno Wildlife Production Reserve River. Photograph taken by the author, 2017.Continuing our series of video abstracts from our published authors, we are excited to introduce Laura Corradi, whose piece “Siekopai Human Ecology Achieves Land Rights Victory” is featured in our new Fourth World Journal, Volume 24, Issue 2.
In her article, Corradi examines the recent landmark decision granting the Siekopai Nation land ownership within Ecuador’s protected areas, which is the first in the country’s history. She highlights how this victory challenges Western conservation models, showcasing the power of Indigenous knowledge in driving ecological sustainability. Corradi’s analysis underscores the importance of Indigenous self-determination in shaping global environmental justice and sustainable resource management.
Hear more about Corradi’s work, in her own words, on the CWIS Youtube Channel:
Abstract:
On November 24, 2023, the Siekopai indigenous population residing in the Ecuadorian Amazon won a claim for the titling of their lands to their Nation. Ecuador recognized indigenous land ownership within a protected area for the first time in history. This decision also acknowledges the value of land management by the indigenous population, who, through their profound knowledge of the place, environment, animals, and spirits that inhabit it, are the best stewards of this green space as a common heritage of humanity. This paper challenges the Western logic that typically drives conservation efforts and examines the role of Indigenous self-determination as a means of ecological advancement. It further outlines the complex role of International mechanisms like Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, ILO Convention 169, and the Rio Declaration as enforcers of sustainable resource management. The court’s decision sets a valuable precedent for government collaboration with Indigenous peoples worldwide and the inclusion of Indigenous stewardship practices into environmental justice frameworks.
About the author:
Laura Corradi is an associate scholar at the Center for World Indigenous Studies with interests in indigenous property rights, environmental justice, and cultural empowerment. She holds a Master’s in International Cooperation from the University of Bologna and is currently conducting anthropological fieldwork in the Peruvian Amazon. At age 17, Corradi participated in a year-long exchange program in Ecuador, where she learned more about the politics and history of indigeneity along the Ecuador-Peru border, forming the basis for her current work and the FWJ piece “Siekopai Human Ecology Achieves Land Rights Victory.”
Get full access to this article and the latest issue of the Fourth World Journal.
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