Newsletter: ¿Why is it Important to Preserve Indigenous cultures?
- Joshua Holmes
- Nov 5, 2024
- 3 min read
The following is an El Terreno newsletter published on 5th November 2024
Now more than ever, as we face water and electricity shortages in Ecuador, we are becoming more aligned with our mission and values.
In this time of ecological uncertainty, the world needs to embrace the indigenous values of life, nature, culture and our role in all of the above.
This is why we work to preserve cultures while improving the way of life of rural indigenous communities, while exposing the next generation of leaders through immersive programmes..
Thank you for continuing to join us on our mission.
Joshua Holmes
Founder, El Terreno
"Amazing International Development Internship!"
After finishing my third year of civil engineering in Canada I wanted to find an internship abroad, I had a focus on international development and I didn't want to go abroad to work with big international companies. This internship was perfect for me as it really highlighted the community aspect, working with local organizations and farmers was a great opportunity for me not only to explore aspects of my field but also to create connections and see the impact my work is making.
Our mentor was extremely helpful to us, we learnt a lot about agroforestry and natural water conservation. Joshua was also very friendly and I enjoyed the close-knit atmosphere El Terreno had.
Atandahua was an extremely picturesque town and I enjoyed living with a local family there and speaking to them about their life. As for the specific work we did, we conducted interviews, followed the standard design ideation process, surveyed natural wells, compiled the data and also presented to the community.
I also had the opportunity to go on trips all around Ecuador during the weekends! It was overall an incredible experience. I did this internship for 2 months and I can't wait to return to Ecuador to see how our project has evolved!
- David (Canada), Community Water Management
Local Roots of Halloween
While helping local children learn English provides an important foundation for their future, it can well be argued that it could accelerate the loss of their own culture.
As a way to bring things back into balance, since September we have brought Gladys onto the team, an indigenous woman who has been running hands-on Kichwa classes for the local children to help them remain connected with their culture and language.
In much of Latin America, the 'day of the dead' was traditionally celebrated at halloween - Ecuador is no exception. We accompany it here with a rich, warm fruit drink called 'Colada Morada' in gratitude for the recent harvest and 'Wawas de Pan', baked figures that represent the ancestors.
We brought together the children and their parents to celebrate the public holiday and reinforce the indigenous culture for the next generation - while also preparing them for an educated future by teaching them English.
These activities are made possible thanks to the generosity of people like you, many who make a monthly contribution to benefit the low-income communities surrounding El Terreno.
Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.
Sustainable Development Interview Series Begins
Learning from leaders and communities who have succeeded have provided important wisdom and inspiration for El Terreno. As a result, we wanted to share this knowledge with our community and have begun a series of interviews with Sustainable Development Changemakers.
In our first episode, we spoke to Germán Collaguazo from Yungilla - one of Ecuador's most successful community tourism projects. With over 25 years of community projects, reforestation, micro-business and more, it's an amazing example of local solidarity for the common good.
Watch the recording (Spanish) and gain some valuable insight from one of the core leaders of the organisation:
We were also fortunate to receive the presence of Iva (an architect from Croatia) and her partner Fiete (a builder from Germany) on the continued building project at El Terreno.
Over 5 weeks, they were responsible for advancing the adobe walls, working alongside the local builders and our architect.
If you've got professional skills in building, gardening, coordination or film-making, check out our volunteering programme here in the heart of the Ecuadorian Andes.
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