KRFC Radio Program - Shipibo, The River of Life

To listen to the recent radio program on KRFC FM, independent community-based radio in Fort Collins, Colorado, click on the file link below:

Track01.cda

Limber Gomez, a Shipibo leader, was invited to do an interview on KRFC. He speaks about the hopes and challenges facing the Shipibo people, as well as about the community-based indigenous radio project they hope to do. For more information about this radio project, check out the below blog posting titled: Shipibo Radio Project

Below: Limber Gomez on his recent visit to Fort Collins.

New Indigenous Organization - ODDPIAP

Above: Participants in the Premiere Indigenous Tribunal work together to build consensus on the mission, vision, and purpose of ODDPIAP.

During the First Tribunal of Indigenous Jefes (chiefs) in the Ucayali region, the chiefs and other indigenous leaders decided that the most effective means to their self-determination would be to form their own grassroots indigenous organization. Thus, the Organization for the Defense and Development of the Indigenous Peoples of the Peruvian Amazon, or ODDPIAP (as they refer to it), was formed through the consensus process of participating indigenous leaders.

Through a very interesting election process that lasted on into the night, ODDPIAP's new leadership was chosen to make their vision a reality. One of the biggest obstacles the new leadership is now facing is the process of legalizing ODDPIAP, in order to be recognized as an official organization by the Peruvian government. It will only cost about $500 to undertake the bureaucratic legalization process and they hope to accomplish this before the upcoming Second Tribunal of Indigenous Jefes to take place this January 2008.

Below: Juan was elected President of ODDPIAP.


ODDPIAP's mission is the defend the rights and resources of the indigenous peoples of the Peruvian Amazon, as well as create a vision for and the implementation of an alternative "development" program for the region based on indigenous wisdom and values. ODDPIAP, it is hoped, will be a seminal force in mobilizing and organizing the indigenous peoples to determine their own futures.

The jefes hope that ODDPIAP can act as a bridge between the marginalized indigenous peoples and the government, ultimately leading to a more equitable future for the underserved and malrepresented indigenous communities.

As allies of the Shipibo people, Village Earth will continue to work with the democratically-elected leadership to build the capacity of and support for ODDPIAP. We are currently working together to raise the funds necessary to legalize ODDPIAP. The leadership of ODDPIAP is busy planning workshops throughout the region to mobilize and organize student groups, community leaders, and strategic allies to work together because unity will strengthen their collective voice.

If you would like to support ODDPIAP, please contact: kristina@villageearth.org

Shipibo Leader Visits Fort Collins

Above: Limber with Village Earth founders Ed and Mimi Shinn as he receives his certificate of completion for the Participatory Practices for Sustainable Development (PPSD) course.

Limber Gomez, a Shipibo leader and activist, recently visited Fort Collins, Colorado to attend the two-week PPSD training course at Colorado State University. This course was an extraordinary experience for Limber and all participants to share their experiences working with communities on all continents. This course helped to reaffirm Limber in the value of Shipibo culture as a guide for future development efforts. He realized that many people around the world are facing the same challenges and has decided to arrange for a delegation of Shipibo leaders to connect with parallel indigenous movements throughout Latin America because of the strength in unity across diverse cultures.

Limber also participated in a number of speaking events to both the Fort Collins community and also at Colorado State University. He also spoke on the radio and made connections with the KRFC-FM radio community to support the Shipibo's radio project initiative (see posting below).

Limber returned home to the Ucayali to energize the newly formed Organization for the Defense and Development of the Indigenous Communities of the Peruvian Amazon (ODDPIAP) by offering workshops to ODDPIAP officials, community leaders, and university students in how to best engage communities in their struggles for self-determination.

We would like to thank Limber for his courage to join Village Earth here in the US and to all the donors that made his fruitful visit possible!

Shipibo Radio Project

As one of the eight parts of the Shipibo peoples' plans for their self-determination and the "development" of their region, radio as a means of communication was of utmost importance. The Village Earth-Shipibo team has been in contact with Project Tupa, based out of Free Radio Berkeley. Project Tupa has a lot of experience in setting up easy to build and maintain low power transmitters for indigenous peoples throughout the Americas. Using locally-available materials, Project Tupa offers a 3-day workshop which teaches the communities how to maintain and repair the equipment themselves.

During Limber Gomez', a Shipibo leader, recent visit to the Fort Collins community, we had the good fortune to meet with the Fort Collins' community's local community-based radio station, KRFC 88.9 FM. The KRFC team is ready and excited to help out with this interesting project in any way they can.

The Shipibo people see that being in control of their own media is an important step in their struggle for self-determination. Right now, corporate media rules in the cities and extort exorbitant prices from indigenous peoples who want to make radio announcements or have their own radio programs, such as the long-running Indigenous Voice program that had to be cancelled due to lack of funding.This 3-day workshop, materials included, will leave the Shipibo people with 4 of their very own hand-built radio transmitters to be placed strategically throughout the region.

Village Earth, Project Tupa, KRFC, and the Shipibo people can undertake this project with a mere $6000. Unfortunately, radio projects are difficult to fund. However, radio can be an important tool in cultural revival (through the diffusion of indigenous language and music programs), for defense of indigenous and territorial rights (indigenous leaders can communicate issues of concerns with greater ease in this remote region), and for educational programs.

If you are interested in supporting this team and the Shipibo's efforts at determining their own rights and methods of communication, then you can make a 100% tax-deductible contribution through Village Earth. You can donate online using Pay Pal (clearly indicate your support for the Shipibo radio project), by using your credit card over the phone 970-491-5754, or by check sent to:
Village Earth
P.O. Box 797
Fort Collins, CO 80522

For more information, please contact the project coordinator: kristina@villageearth.org