http://www.pachamama.org/about/origin-story
The Achuar: Visionary Warriors of the Amazon
Deep in the Amazon rainforest, spanning the borders of modern-day Ecuador and Peru, the Achuar people have lived and thrived for centuries.
Traditionally warriors with a fierce devotion to their land, they kept their sophisticated culture and worldview remarkably intact as late as the mid-20th century.
In Achuar culture, dreams are a guiding principle of life, shared each morning before sunrise. Shamans play an important role in the spiritual life of Achuar communities, including the interpretation of dreams.
But not all dreams are sweet. Dreams can often require facing and transforming that which you most fear.
The Nightmare of Oil Development
Since the early 20th century, individuals and corporations from the so-called “modern” world have sought to exploit Achuar land for its oil, disregarding its irreplaceable ecological and cultural wealth.
By the early 1990s, Achuar shamans and elders were having dreams of an imminent threat to their land and traditional way of life.
From contact with neighboring tribes, the Achuar knew that oil companies were poisoning the rainforest and everything alive in it, steadily moving closer and closer to their home.
The Eagle and the Condor
The Achuar were also influenced by their understanding of an ancient prophecy about the Eagle and the Condor, shared by many Andean and Amazonian indigenous cultures.
According to this prophecy, we are at a moment in history when the Eagle – representing intellect and the mind – and the Condor – representing wisdom and the heart – must come together to ensure the continued existence of humankind.
An Invitation to Allies in the Modern World
Emboldened by this prophecy and their warrior history, the Achuar made the courageous decision to reach out to the modern world that was threatening their very existence.
In 1995, a group of people, including John Perkins, and Bill and Lynne Twist, traveled to the rainforest at the invitation of Achuar leaders to learn more.
The Achuar shared with this group the urgent threat to their lands and culture, their vision for self-determination, and a request for allies from the North who would “change the dream of the modern world” – shift our culture of overconsumption to a culture that honors and sustains life.
This group committed to a partnership with the Achuar, and, upon their return to the United States, Bill and Lynne Twist co-founded The Pachamama Alliance to carry out their commitment.
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