Proposing Narrative Changes in the Amazon
Background
Conservation efforts in the Amazon face challenges that extend beyond issues related to land ownership to encompass the ecological balance of the forest. Within this complex landscape, intricate social, political, economic, and epistemological dynamics come into play. At stake are high-value objectives, and prevailing narratives of neoliberal development, driven by Brazilian state politics and international actors, significantly influence how conservation and stewardship are approached. Addressing these multifaceted challenges of preserving the Amazon is a collective endeavor that cannot be achieved by a single actor alone. Instead, it necessitates the integration of diverse perspectives and worldviews from various actors engaged in conservation efforts. Indigenous knowledge, scientific understanding, and local beliefs all contribute valuable insights. This calls for a collaborative exploration of different approaches within deliberate spaces of cooperation.
Purpose
Our collaborative effort aims to identify counter-narratives capable of challenging the dominance of colonial, industrial, extractivist, and emerging climate finance asset securitization frames. These counter-narratives, in turn, shape the landscape of opportunities for Amazon conservation initiatives. Such initiatives should encompass a more holistic understanding of the forest, including the interactions between human and non-human agencies.
The Transdisciplinary Network of the Amazon (RETA)
Central to this initiative is the Transdisciplinary Network of the Amazon (RETA). Established in 2011 to facilitate dialogue and participatory governance within the Purus-Madeira rivers interfluve, located in the central region of the Amazon, RETA distinguishes itself as a network rather than an NGO, comprising a diverse coalition of collectives, community organizations, social movements, and cooperatives. Together, the network spearheads initiatives designed to cultivate socio-political capacities among local actors. For RETA, territorial governance is viewed as a collaborative process, where collective action is employed to craft strategies for shaping the desirable future of a given territory.
Relational Practices
RETA's guiding philosophy centers on nurturing relational practices that foster connections between people and their environment. The network places significant emphasis on promoting shared cooperation and mutual exchange that transcends the boundaries of technical and tacit knowledge, formal and informal structures, as well as both Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives.
RETA's work is deeply rooted in the rich relational traditions and practices of the Indigenous and local populations of the Amazon. These traditions are visibly demonstrated in various activities, such as 'mutirões,' which are community projects requiring the collective effort of the entire group, and 'ajuris,' traditional Indigenous practices where groups and individuals come together in solidarity, often for tasks like land preparation and cleaning. These relational values also manifest in collaborative efforts, including mutual assistance in tasks like cultivating swiddens, operating flour mills, tending to chestnut groves, managing rubber plantations, navigating ‘igapós’, blackwater-flooded forests, and sustaining ecosystems along rivers and in various ecological settings. The spirit of relationality further reveals itself in the exchanges, reciprocity, and circularity of seeds, fruits, and shared knowledge. These values permeate the festivities, games, beliefs, and a diverse array of socio-cultural practices observed among both local populations and family farmers.
BR-319 Highway
RETA is actively involved in the regions surrounding the BR-319, an 870-kilometer (540-mile) federal highway originally constructed in 1973 during the Brazilian military dictatorship in an effort to promote 'development' in the Amazon. This highway connects Manaus in the state of Amazonas to Porto Velho in Rondônia and is surrounded by extensive protected areas, comprising 41 conservation units and 69 Indigenous territories. Traversing a region marked by tensions linked to the expansion of the agricultural frontier, the BR-319 highway played a role in the creation of over 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) of secondary roads in southern Amazonas, which encouraged unauthorized outsiders to invade and deforest areas of pristine forest. While the road initially attracted thousands of settlers to the region, its condition gradually deteriorated over time due to continuous heavy rainfall and the substantial costs associated with maintenance. The condition of this highway and the ongoing debate regarding its potential repair remain subjects of discussion, with some advocating for its restoration while others oppose it.
RETA Members
RETA boasts a vibrant community comprising over 30 diverse organizations, collectives, and communities. These include the Associação Comunitária do Lago do Mamori, Associação Comunitária do Ramal da Floresta, Associação Comunitária do São José, Associação Mãe da Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Igapó Açu, Casa do Rio, Coletivo de Jovens Cultura e Esporte na Comunidade, Coletivo de Mulheres Divas da Floresta, Coletivo de Mulheres Doce do Tapiri, Coletivo de Mulheres Teçume da Floresta, Conselho da Infância e Adolescência de Careiro, Conselho de Saúde de Humaitá, Cooperativa dos Produtores Familiares de Careiro, Grupo de Agroflorestores do Careiro, Jovens Tupigá, Pastoral da Juventude do Distrito de Realidade, Promotoras Legais Populares de Careiro, Promotoras Legais Populares de Humaitá, and Promotoras Legais Populares de Manicoré. These dedicated members collectively contribute to RETA's dynamic mission and activities, fostering collaboration and positive change in the Amazon region.
Thematic Threads
Our efforts interlace three overarching thematic threads, each aligning with critical challenges encountered in Amazon conservation efforts:
Territorial Development and Environmental Degradation: This thread addresses the complex issues surrounding the development of territories and the resulting environmental harm.
Physical and Moral Violence Experienced by Local Communities: This theme encompasses the physical and ethical challenges faced by local communities engaged in conservation efforts.
The Impact of Infrastructure Development and Neoliberal Approaches on Biodiversity Valuation: This thread explores the repercussions of infrastructure development and neoliberal methodologies in the assessment of biodiversity value.
These thematic threads provide a compass for shaping the content and activities of this work.
Objectives
Our primary objective is to create a space for dialogue and cooperation that recognizes and amplifies counter-narratives to colonial and neoliberal models of sustainable development. Within this space, we aim to establish rituals of active listening, meaningful dialogue, and self-care to enhance RETA's capacity for sustainable organizing. Furthermore, we seek to visualize and codify RETA's past practices along the BR-319 highway, documenting valuable knowledge. Additionally, our initiative aims to strengthen both current and future actions for the protection and conservation of local ways of life, particularly in the face of developmental pressures. These objectives collectively strive to foster collaboration, preserve essential knowledge, and safeguard the Amazon and its communities.
Proposing Practices: RETA as School
As the initial step within our broader initiative, we aim to cultivate a transnational collaboration between RETA and an international collective comprising transdisciplinary students, artists, theorists, and designers who share a common focus: exploring fresh perspectives for both thinking and taking action in Amazon conservation. This collaborative space is intentionally designed to be flexible and adaptable, capable of expanding to incorporate new contributors and addressing specific political or narrative challenges that may arise within RETA's local initiatives. In this setting, researchers and practitioners will unite their efforts to critically assess and amplify narratives that challenge the prevailing colonial assumptions about development, which persistently influence public discourse and certain academic circles.
Initial Composition
The core team of RETA organizers consists of Dionéia Ferreira, Jolemia Chagas, Akis Alves, and Francimara Araújo. Additionally, we have esteemed artists and curators, Ligia Nobre and Claudio Bueno, who serve as anchor members. Collaborating with us are architects Laura Pappalardo and Beatriz Perracini. Leveraging Bueno's role as a professor at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) in California, students from the Environmental Art and Social Practice Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program have the opportunity to participate. Further collaboration is facilitated through Brazilian professor Eduardo Staszowski, along with professors Jen Van der Meer and John Bruce, who coordinate participation within the Transdisciplinary Design Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program and the Parsons Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability Lab (DESIS Lab) at The New School in New York. This engagement encompasses graduate students, alumni, faculty, and additional collaborators.