Advocacy and Research in the Amazon
By: Stephanie Flores
As a recipient of the 2018 Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowship from the government, I got to spend the Summer in the Amazon rainforest learning about Indigenous culture and Quichua language. It was an experience like no other. I got to learn alongside brilliant graduate students from all across the country. The skills I learned about ethical research in class definitely came in handy. I realized the way non-indigenous people communicate about the Amazon and its people, perpetuates stereotypes and misconceptions of the reality of the region.
Since my interest is on multiculturalism and political communication, I attended political communal meetings and spoke to many indigenous political leaders. All of their stories and observations I made informed me on how I can best approach my research when writing my graduate Thesis.
During this memorable experience I met amazing people and learn so much from them, I know they are now colleagues with whom I can collaborate in the future. I also had lots of fun, I have never seen anything as beautiful as the Amazon rainforest. We held classes outside with the Napo river roaring sounds in the background and surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna. Sometimes a tarantula, different-colored millipedes and butterflies would join us in class. Two of my favorite encounters with Amazonian animals were when I got to hold a baby sloth and when we took a trip to Yasuni National Park, which is the most biologically diverse place on the planet. I only have one word to describe Yasuni: WOW.
I got to interact with Waorani Indigenous people, whose tribe first got contacted by outsiders only 50 years ago; I learned that there are still many Waorani communities who still reject all contact with the outside world. Amazonians are truly fascinating people. I got to see flora that you would only see in fantasy and science fiction movies; I got to walk next to jaguar paw prints, I saw macaws, toucans, pink dolphins, monkeys, among many other animals. I also got to see the influence of oil in the region and the impact we humans have in our planet, which made me very sad, but definitely made me a more eco-conscious individual. This was an experience that has shaped my views about the Amazon and indigenous people and has provided me with the skills to be a better communicator and global citizen.
